Ministry:  MOPS at Oakhurst Evangelical Free Church
Location:  Oakhurst, CA
Project:  Building completion financing
Story: Oakhurst Evangelical Free Church has been able to minister to the community now that they have a permanent facility.  MOPS and VBS are 2 examples of the impacts made possible by the completion of their facility.   MOPS International® (Mother's of Preschoolers) was begun in February 1996.  Jeanette began attending MOPS in February 2000.

Jeanette tells her story:  "Since February 2000, we have rented three facilities for our MOPS group.  At each rented facility we exceeded the space restrictions for the children's rooms and/or the meeting area for the moms.  We were not able to invite additional Moms due to fire codes and occupancy limits.  While renting these facilities the Steering Team would store small and large items in their homes and transport for each meeting.  Some facilities were pleased we rented from them some were not.   God always provided and protected all the MOPS Moms!...This permanent home for Oakhurst Evangelical Free Church is truly a blessing for Moms and their families. There are several of us that commute approximately thirty minutes from nearby towns to attend MOPS. One Mom drives two hours each way to attend our MOPS meetings! This location is central for the majority to attend and the group is growing rapidly. As of February 6th, 2007 we are adding an additional table for Moms!

Now we are in this permanent home and very excited to expand our group of fifty-four MOPS Moms.  We are thankful to be blessed with a central location for all, elbowroom for Moms, appropriate sized rooms for the children, storage space, and a wonderful kitchen!  It is great to have a permanent MOPS home so we can lead to Christ, teach and show God's love, and help the Moms to connect with one another."

Vacation Bible School is another ministry that has been able to impact children for Christ.  "It had been years and years and years since we had been able to have a VBS," shares Ralph Fairfield, Oakhurst EFC Church Administrator.  The church is the people, but without a building, there are many ministries that cannot take place.  Not only are children being taught more effectively and having fun at the same time, but the congregation is benefiting.  Oakhurst EFC has seen people getting more involved in ministry now that the ministries have room to grow and places for ministry to happen.

These ministries have been made possible by investors that financed the loan to Oakhurst EFC.  Their faithfulness to the ministry of Christian Investors Foundations is touching lives by helping moms of preschoolers and giving these preschoolers space to play and to be cared for.  The MOPS ministry and VBS at Oakhurst are simply two of the ministries that have been given the space to touch lives for Jesus Christ.