VERSAILLES, Mo. -- New Hope, a home for the developmentally disabled in Versailles, is up and running with full staff after holding on to hope for this home to become a reality for more than 15 years.
First Christian Church of Versailles Senior Minister John Wagner said it has been a mission of his since he came on board at FCCV in 2001 when they organized a non-profit organization called New Hope Christian Community.
New Hope Christian Community was developed for purposes of raising funds to work towards building this home that was initially recognized as a need by Jim and Eileen Kruse and a few others in the Versailles community.
"They wondered what would happen to their children when they grew older; who would take care of their adult children who needed assistance living?" he explained.
Once the non-profit was organized, Wagner said they merged with another ministry in Knoxville, Tennessee, called Christian Churches Disability Ministry (CDDM).
"We started to try and develop the idea here and what we did was merge with CDDM. We brought a lot of our background and they brought a lot of experience managing homes with them so combining our two ministries, together we have a new home in Versailles now," said Wagner.
"It has been a dream of mine since coming on board here but for many others much longer," Wagner said of the newly operating home, "... it is a wonderful ministry and a wonderful home."
With the home open for occupancy, there are currently five full-time residents with four vacancies. New Hope is fully staffed and licensed with the state of Missouri's Department of Mental Health for nine residents.
The home has two separate wings, one for men and the other for women, with five bedrooms to each wing as well as an additional bedroom. One bedroom is used for staff that comes from Tennessee and the other bedroom is for local staff. The facility is open 24-hours-per day so staff is on location at all times.
Wagner is proud of the accomplishments. He said the entire project is funded by private individuals, churches and other organizations from all over the state and country, as well as the fee each resident has to pay which does not cover the homes current costs of what it takes to operate the ministry.
"The rest is funded by donations," Wagner said, noting the ministry does not receive any state or federal funding other than if the resident has social security.
One big positive for the location of the home, which is positioned in the middle of Monroe, McNair and Fisher streets, is that Quality Industries is just across the street, which is where all five residents work.
"It is just about 50 yards," Wagner said. "That was one of the ideal situations about getting our property where we did ... so they can work."
Wagner said the Kruse's started this vision because of their son who is one of the residents now.
"Out of that dream, their concern for other parents is how this ministry got started," he said. "As time has gone by, it has had its ups and downs and its struggles, but we see Gods handy work in it all."
"It has been a labor of love in my position for at least 15 years and it has been a dream for years before that for some people in this community and now it is a reality," said Wagner. "What a blessing it is."