Turnkey Ready

GLOBAL VOICES

Turnkey Ready

Lorraine Triggs

On paper, Missionary Furlough Homes (MFH) was incorporated in 1962, but its roots go further back—back to 1940 when Dave Gieser’s parents, Dr. Ken and Kay Gieser, medical missionaries to China, left the country they loved and served since 1934.

“My father contracted malaria, and nearly died,” relates Dave. “His recovery was slow, and my two older brothers were ages two and four.” The war between Japan and China was raging, and the young family’s safety was at risk.

“They had built a rudimentary bomb shelter and placed sandbags under a stairwell where my mother would quickly scurry with my brothers to protect themselves from shooting in the streets,’” Dave describes those harrowing times. “My parents realized the time to depart their beloved China had come, and their escape from the hostilities was fraught with danger.

“Mom and Dad arrived in Wheaton physically and emotionally drained, penniless.” And as on a previous furlough home back to the States, the family had a difficult time finding a place to stay.

“Eventually, they found a two bedroom unfurnished apartment in a house on Scott Street,” Dave continues. “They were so broke, they initially had to rent one of the two bedrooms to make ends meet. Twice, my parents had returned to the States and had great difficulty finding housing. This was a hurtful experience, especially for my mother.”

Dave knew that these memories lodged in their minds for years to come, and they determined someday they would seek to alleviate the frustration that they experienced when they returned to the States from missionary service.

“That day came in 1962 when the Missionary Furlough Homes Foundation was formed,” Dave said. “They recruited their closest friends to serve on the board and purchased a large, 18th century home on South President Street, which was owned by the Dresser family, a longtime College Church family. “

“They were so broke, they initially had to rent one of the two bedrooms to make ends meet.”

Soon after the purchase, the old home was repaired, refurbished and fully furnished, ready for the first family to move in. It was soon apparent that the house was not in suitable condition for the long-term, so the first duplex was constructed in the backyard, and when completed, the old house was torn down and replaced with additional duplexes.

Kay Gieser had made good on her promise that if she and Ken ever had the resources, they would make sure that any missionary family who was coming home could immediately move into a house with sheets and blankets on the beds, towels on the racks and a fully stocked kitchen.

In 1977, the board purchased a large Victorian home on Michigan Street that sat on a large piece of property, which included a tennis court. Missionary Furlough Homes converted the house to two three-bedroom apartments. Four more duplexes were added, and in 1984, one last unit was built, bringing the total to 18 units.

Today, the furlough homes continue to offer missionaries who arrive in Wheaton, tired and drained, a home with everything they need from dish towels to the internet, and all they had to bring were their suitcases full of clothes.

Let’s say a missionary couple has a home assignment planned for next year, and they do a quick internet search for Missionary Furlough Homes Wheaton. Nothing would show up in the search. Missionary Furlough Homes is purposely not on the web, preferring word-of-mouth referrals, and after sixty years, there is a lot of common knowledge about the homes.

Okay, our missionary couple hears about MFH from another family who stayed in one of the units while on home assignment. How can our couple secure their place in a duplex? In the fall prior to our missionaries’ home assignment, they submit an application. Then, in lateJanuary, the board meets to review applications andprayerfully consider the residents for the year, which is asummer-to-summer arrangement.

The duplexes are spacious and designed for families,and when our missionary couple and their four childrenmove in, they find community. The missionary familiesare great at initiating community, and MFH volunteer“house parents” host a picnic for everyone in August tohelp families connect. December brings a Christmas partyheld at College Church, and in the spring, the missionaryfamilies host the board members for a supper, featuringfood from a variety of countries. The families also findcommunity in taking care of their lawns and snowshoveling.

College Church and Missionary Furlough Homes makefor natural partners. Three years ago, the Board ofMissions (BOM) chose to sponsor one of the units, whichinvolves, well, just about everything with the unit. TheBoard of Missions oversees the missionaries who staythere, offering housing from five days to three months,as well as other details of their stay. This unit is offeredto College Church missionaries, consortium missionariesand missionaries from our consortium churches when theunit is available.

As MFH was focused on updating the homes’ older kitchensand baths (think 1980s style), the Lord surprised them withthe opportunity to acquire a four-unit apartment buildingclose to the current homes. The board is excited to seehow God will use these four, two bedroom/two bath unitsfor empty-nest and retiring missionaries. An open houseis being planned sometime in August.

College Church has been hosting a church shower forthis unit, with MFH’s original goal in mind: to provide afully furnished home from sheets on the beds, towelsin every bathroom and a fully stocked kitchen, so all themissionaries need to do is to unpack their clothes andsettle in. For more information on how to participate inthe MFH shower, contact the Missions Office.

Here’s how you can pray for MFH throughout the year.

• In October, pray for God’s provision and protection of the families

• In January, pray for the board to have wisdom in filling the units

• In April, pray for the families who are departing the homes

• In July, pray for the families who are arriving.