NEWS
STEPPING OVER THE THRESHOLD Just over the ACT border, a healing home is being established by the Missionheart Christian faith community. Dubbed ‘Missionhouse’, this new place is the realisation of a dream that began in the formation of this church some 24 years ago. “Donations were given right back at the start of Missionheart, which we knew needed to be set aside for this place. We have been dreaming of this for a long time. It’s an extension of what we are called to do and gives us the space to journey deeply with people in healing,” says Missionheart leader Jason Hayduk. An extension of their work in the centre of Canberra, Missionhouse will allow for those on the fringes to find relationship, restoration and reconciliation to God in an established loving community where they can belong and contribute. There will be opportunities for people to find freedom from addiction and illness, develop life skills, train for future employment, be spiritually nurtured, and to grow in relationship with God and others. Leaders Jason and Kelly Hayduk (pictured above), who planted Missionheart, are amazed at God’s provision of
14 | FRESH HOPE STORIES
this property and deeply aware of his preparation in their lives. “Personally, God has been preparing us for this kind of community living. Having four kids and foster kids and having people come in and out of home over all our married life, has helped us to get here. If we hadn’t had that full household, the transition would be much harder,” says Kelly. And God has also provided many of the tangible goods needed for furnishing the new home. Kelly recounts that in packing she kept wondering why she seemed to have more than they needed, and then the property’s former owners gifted them an expansive table around which meals with an extended family could flourish. “We want to be able to extend an invitation to people to come live with us and learn a new rhythm of life,” she says. The property is currently housing the Hayduks and two of their children, and another Missionheart family – Stew and Bec Henderson and their daughter – who are the nucleus of this new live-in healing community. The first step for this team is to go deep in formation over the next six to 12 months to create a healthy community and to prepare the home physically for its first intake. After the spiritual and physical foundations are laid, they will begin to invite people in to journey in community.
