JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (ABP) — Keith and Jeanie McGowan were comfortable in their home just outside the Missouri capital of Jefferson City. Nestled on 2.3 acres, the home had all the features the couple would need to see them through retirement — including being accessible to the handicapped.
"I loved the process of decorating it," admitted Jeanie McGowan, associate pastor for single adults at Jefferson City's First Baptist Church. "The family could be together at Christmas," in the spacious home, she noted. "It really was a dream come true."
Yet a persistent voice kept reminding her of something she had always wanted to do. "I dreamed of living in a diverse neighborhood, but thought that would have to be in a big city," she said. "That dream has always been there, but I didn't know if my family would want to. I thought it would never happen."
The McGowans recently gave up their dream home and moved into a diverse — what some would consider rough — neighborhood on Jefferson City's east side, just a half a block from an old state penitentiary.
Decision was a process
Their decision to give up their dream home and to begin to live a dream was a process. As they used their dream home to minister through hospitality to a wide variety of groups — from members of the single-adult group to "characters" from the congregation — they wondered how to make a difference downtown.
"One day while driving to work, the two of us spotted a small duplex," Jeanie said. "I turned to Keith and said, 'Wouldn't it be neat to buy it and fix it up for singles?'"
She mentioned the duplex to Melissa Hatfield, the church's associate pastor for youth and missions, who had been thinking about living in community with other singles. The church also had been thinking of additional ways to minister to its downtown neighborhood.
Later, Jeanie spotted two 100-year-old buildings on Cherry Street several blocks east of the church and took every opportunity to drive by them throughout 2007. "At this point we were not thinking of living in it, but of just fixing it and renting it out," Jeanie said.
A few months later, Don Simmons, a consultant from Fresno, Calif., led a weekend conference at First Baptist. He explained how he and his family had renovated a burned-out crack house and moved into it — and how that one change had influenced the neighborhood. He led them to a website that connected them with others who had taken on similar projects. His excitement strengthened Jeanie's dream.
After months of driving by and Jeanie McGowan sensing that her husband "wasn't negative" about exploring the possibilities, the couple asked a realtor friend to show them the property in 2008. They also approached a friend in New York about partnering with them.
One of the two Cherry Street houses had been divided into four apartments and the other building included two apartments on the second floor; most of the units were rented. The downstairs area of the second building was open and "a mess," Jeanie said. "As soon as I saw it, I thought this is like a blank slate, and I thought what it would be like to live here."
Selling the dream home
Even securing friend Gary Kendall to partner with them, the McGowans realized they would have to sell the home they loved and move into one of the Cherry Street buildings to follow the dream. "We knew the timing was not good in the housing market, but it seemed like God just opened the doors," Jeanie said.
The couple decided to rehab the messy ground floor and convert it into one large apartment as their new home. They decided to act as their own general contractors — Keith is an engineer by training — and discovered builder and fellow church member Dale Feeler was available at the time they needed him.
"But there were points when we almost came to a screeching halt," Jeanie admitted. At one point, Keith questioned their choice. "I had to ask myself if I was just being selfish…. I had to decide [that] if Keith really didn't want to do it, I had to give [the dream] up. And I did at that point," Jeanie said.
Then the couple was confronted with a financial decision. The seller was asking for $5,000 more than the McGowans' limit and the couple was prepared to back out.
"But Keith worked out the details…. I felt that was a sign from God … because the price would have been an out for [Keith]," Jeanie said.
From left, Jeanie McGowan, Sindy Puckett and Tanya McMillan participate in a house-blessing service for the home McGowan and her husband, Keith, bought and renovated in a dicey Jefferson City, Mo., neighborhood.
|
Confirming experiences
Though the McGowans had to downsize their "stuff," they believe they have followed God's will. And their experiences as neighbors in their new community, they said, confirmed that.
"One of the neat things was the birthday party," Keith said. A homeless person had helped them around the property, and they discovered his birth date. The Saturday after his birthday, they bought a cake and a gallon of sweet tea and had a party on their front porch. In his 50s, the man admitted he had never had a party or a birthday cake.
"There are so many ministry opportunities, mostly with our tenants but even more than that at times," Keith said.
"But we've never wanted our neighbors to feel like we are trying to pressure them," Jeanie added.
The couple says they have learned a great deal about the criminal-justice and social-welfare systems from their experience of living in a largely poor community. "Every day's different," Keith noted. "We have taken several neighbors to the emergency room [for health problems]. That's their only option."
After getting to know one man who had served time in prison, Jeanie said, "It made me think how I would feel if no one wanted to hire me…. How long would I keep my nose clean … if I knew where all my old contacts were."
"A policeman has commented about the change in one local resident," Keith added.
"We try to be good neighbors and let God do the work," Jeanie added. "We just share Christ's love…. We just try to love people."
"I've learned a whole new perspective on what life is," Keith said. "This really is a neat neighborhood. We have no doubt this is where we're supposed to be."
The generosity of their neighbors despite their modest means has impressed the couple. A neighbor who was moving gave all his canned goods to another neighbor. The man kept only two of each item and gave everything else to the Samaritan Center, a neighborhood not-for-profit that serves the Jefferson City area's needy.
While they know they will face difficult situations in the future, the McGowans believe they will make a difference in the community. Recently, they had a house-blessing service. After it was over they said, a neighbor commented, "This was not just a blessing for your house but a blessing for our neighborhood."
"If there's a chance of making a difference, that's what we want to do," Jeanie said. "But we never want others to think that we think they should do this, too. God has called us to this."
-30-
Vicki Brown is associate editor of the Missouri Baptist Word & Way.