Al & Diane Mellinger's Missionary Adventure

New Project Space?!

December 8, 2022 – A few weeks ago in our blog post We shared some ideas and dreams that we have for helping the poor.  One of those was a workshop space for skills training and to spread out when making projects.

We have been working on trying to find a place for several years only to find the doors closed.  This week after we asked our supporters to pray about our ideas, the best solution we could have asked for is coming together.

The unit next to ours in Jackson has become available and we are going to get it.  With the two spaces, we will be able to expand the store a bit and create an excellent training and working center for the REED Workshops we do.

We will have a space to teach sewing and to have the students make things for us to sell.  There will be other space for the production of upcycled products and storage for the donations we receive for projects.

On the same day we said we would take the space I got a phone call from another ministry we have talked to about partnering. They work with teenagers from low-income families who are struggling.  We had chatted about some classes and business training in the past.  Now it looks like we will have the space to make something happen for these students.

We are overjoyed about the possibilities this space will provide and knowing that God opened up the door for us to add this new area of serving the needy is amazing.  Thanks for your prayers and support for all that we do.

Now that we have the space, we will need to fit it to be the most useful for the most people. Pray that we will know how to make it as multifunctional as it can be.  Pray also as we move forward that we can set up programs to touch the lives of those who need it most.

We will be looking for some renovation funds, start-up salary funds to pay the workers until sales start coming in, volunteers who live near to help with mentoring and overseeing some projects (watch for more information on this soon), and lots of prayers.

As we take it one day at a time, we are trusting God and very much at peace in our spirits even if the environment around us seems to be a constant battle.  We can’t imagine living any other way as where God wants you is the only place you will find purpose and peace!

Thanks again for your partnership with us.

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To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

Inflation is having its impact!

December 1, 2022 – Inflation is real and is having an impact on what we do.  This fall store sales have been 40%-50% less than last year.

We understand – people who used to have funds to spend on things like what we sell now have to put it in the tank or on the table but the folks we serve and who depend on us selling a certain level will be impacted as we are not purchasing as much for the stores.

Additionally, our overall expenses for labor, insurance, rent, and utilities have not decreased.  That means we have to become even more creative in how and what we do.

People that enter the stores love the story and mission of helping the poor but are purchasing less than before.

Again, we understand that people just don’t have as much surplus money to spend.

This week I am asking our partners to pray for the right folks to come into the store and for our sales to increase.  (God says to pray about everything) If you are near one of our stores please come by and see if we might have something for the special someone on your Christmas list.

And for those who can’t come into the store, you can order online at marketplacemannna.com if you order more than $100 and use the code “xmas22“ we will ship it for free until December 17, 2022.  That should get it to you before Christmas.

If you want to help you can also make a donation to our development fund. The links are below.

To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

 

Giving Tuesday

November 28, 2022 - Giving Tuesday is happening on November 29, 2022 and if you would like to support our work there are two ways:

1. Personal Support helps us focus on helping the poor through the programs and ministries we engage with.
2. Development funds are money we invest in projects and groups.

You are getting asked by many to give and help for Giving Tuesday.  Everyone wants to get a part of the funds donated on this day during this time of year.

We would very much like to receive a portion of what you can give us if you feel it is what God would have you do.

Thanks for your support and prayers all year long.

(If you want to know more about what we are doing and where your gifts go re-read previous blog posts)

To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

 

 

 

I Have an Idea...

November 19, 2022 - Martin Luther King had a dream – but we have an Idea or two.  The more we are doing what we are doing, in the ever-changing culture after Covid, and with inflation continuing to happen, the old ways of doing things are not working as far as retail goes. 

With that in mind, we are watching the numbers and trying to figure out the best way to keep costs low while serving the people we partner with.  We are exploring online opportunities, scaled-back retail hours, more shows with churches and other groups as well as some different kinds of displays. Praying and asking God what we should do.

With Fairtrade merchandise people, often what to see and touch what they are getting but they don’t always remember we have a store (or 2) to come and see it.  When we are out sharing with folks the sales are often very good. So, we need to figure out how to take the store to the people more often.

Additionally, we have projects that we want the folks we work with in Jackson to help with but they require space for more than a few hours each month.  Sometimes things need to dry before the next step can take place right now we do not have the ability to create these projects because of our space limitations.

The reality is we need additional support/income to make some of our ideas happen.

• What would it take to get and convert a truck into a mobile shop?
• What would it take to get space to create a year-round workshop close to the folks we serve?
• What would it take to start new groups with partner churches in other towns?

These are just a few of the questions we are asking God and our partners.  Each day we see God’s hand at work leading us to folks who need us, leading us to folks who want to help us, and providing equipment and supplies before we know what to do with it.

As you are pondering Giving Tuesday and your year-end giving – Think about helping us as we work to figure out new ways to impact those in need with not only the loving message of God but some financial support for their families as well

This week

• pray about the needs we have.
• Pray for those we partner with
• Pray for new support for the ideas we have.

Praying you have a blessed Thanksgiving and Christmas Season!

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To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

Thankful

November 9, 2022 – With Thanksgiving just around the corner we are challenged to think about what we are thankful for. So, I am going to share both personal and ministry praises today.

Ministry

It has been almost 2 years since we stepped aside for our direct hands-on oversight of the work in the Balkans.  When you let go you wonder will it survive or will it stop?  The work in the Balkans has not stopped it is still growing.  Seeing more churches started, training taking place, and baptisms happening is something we are very thankful for.

We are also planning on returning to Bulgaria for about 3 weeks in January of 2023.  We will finally be able to wrap up a few things that we could not get done and for that, we are praising God. (Can’t wait to see many folks that are dear to our hearts)

We have found that the connections and contacts with the work here are growing and for that we again are thankful.

Personal

We are so thankful to be closer to family.  To be able to see and interact with our granddaughter is priceless.

We are both sad and thankful that Diane’s mom is in a better place.  The last couple of years she was here physically but not in other ways.  She is now with her Lord and for that we rejoice.

We are still trying to full figure out what God is wanting from us, some days we are wondering and other days it is great.  The fact that He has always lead and provided is the truth that we lean on. Knowing He knows is something that we are very thankful for.

As you think about your year-end giving both our support and development funds are always taking donations.

Take some time to think and Thank God for all that He does!

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To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

Pop-Up Shops

October 26, 2022 – We are offering Pop-Up Shops for groups or churches that would like to give their members a chance to buy fair trade gifts this Christmas season.

If interested contact us and we will see what we can arrange.

We are still collecting for our Virtual Christmas Gift Program - Click here to give 

This week pray for:

Store Sales – They are down and we feel inflation is the cause.

Our Partners – We are not getting as much as we cannot afford to purchase it right now. Pray God would still take care of their needs.

Our Support – Needing more monthly supporters.

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To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

Mellingers on Mission!

October 17, 2022 - Neighbors of Jackson is a local Magazine that is shipped free to homes in the city of Jackson. They approached us a couple of months ago about doing a story on us because they love what we do and are all about. Click here to see and read the full article. It is well written.

As new folks come into the stores and we share the purpose and mission, people are very supportive and think it is great. They love the idea and concept of what we do.  Helping the poor, disenfranchised, persecuted, and disabled is awesome. They are so glad we are doing it. We are glad too – our purpose and mission is our passion, but the reality is that without investors, shoppers, and volunteers coming alongside us we can’t do it.

We have had a tagline – Think Fair Trade First.  The idea is that if you think Fair Trade First it will cause you to act.  We are now making our tagline Think and Shop Fair Trade First. To be more specific in what we hope people will not only think about what we do but also shop and engage in greater ways.

The reality is that right now with inflation running hot, people have less disposable income that they might have spent buying things we sell.  Those funds are now going into their tank or on their table. The stores are just making the expenses we have to operate (Rent, utilities, and employees). We are well stocked for the upcoming season but unless we have a stellar selling holiday season things do not look good.  Plain and simple.

Additionally, Diane and I who do not get any salary from the stores, but raise our support have gone four months with reduced salary as there have been no funds in our account. 

So now you know more about what to pray for with us.  We are constantly looking at income and balancing how to keep this all going.  Loving our mission but dealing with the realities of operating a ministry/business at the same time.

We would love for others who are interested in what we are doing to join the team in the areas of fundraising, grant writing, product development, and training.

As we have prayed we have asked God if it is time to let go and move on and so far, we have not gotten a green light to do that.  So, we press on and share the realities of what we do and trust that God and His resource will be there just when we need them most.

If your church or group might want to have a table of products to sell - Please let us know ASAP so we can arrange the details.

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To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

Virtual Christmas Gift Box Opportunity!

October 4, 2022 - We are again sponsoring the Virtual Christmas Gift Box program to help Families in Bulgaria - this year which includes some refugees from the war in Europe.

Donations can be made by clicking here. Checks can be sent to Marketplace Manna, 151 E Michigan Ave, Jackson Michigan 49201

Please be praying for this program and the families it will impact during these trying times.

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To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

Celebrating Volunteers

September 29, 2022 – This week Spring Arbor University sent 4 students and a sponsor to our shop to volunteer to help us for 3 hours.  It is part of SAU’s 150-year celebration.  Their goal is to have the students and staff volunteer 150,000 hours this school year.

The team that came helped us get over 1000 new Christmas items sorted, tagged, and labeled. Which was a big help as we are working hard with local groups getting them to make a number of new items for this coming holiday season. 

We are so thankful for and glad to be helping folks in our part of the world care for themselves and their families.

Watch for. the unveiling of these products in the coming weeks.

Also if you would like a display table of product for your church to sell this holiday season. Let us know.

Continue to pray for God's blessing on the stores - with the economic woes sales are slowing but cost are not.

Pray too for the groups we partner with - pray God's grace on and toward them.

And finally, pray about our funding.

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To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here

 

Keeping it Real!

September 17, 2022 – it has been some time since we updated folks. Here are some ups and downs of the last month.

Diane’s 87-year-old mother passed away. It was not unexpected but still a life experience that needs to be processed. The Memorial Service will be September 29^th in Florida and for those family and friends up north another one on October 8^th in Jackson, Michigan. In addition, we attended Diane’s nephew's wedding as well. Pray for the family and friends as we gather for these memorials. Diane and I will be officiating at the Michigan one.

We have been traveling a little, we had planned to be back in Bulgaria, so we did not have churches scheduled. We have spoken at several organizations about what we do. Pray that we could add a few more speaking dates this fall and winter.

We are still working with the local homeless shelter, elderly home, and other groups. Right now, these groups are helping produce Christmas merchandise as we have to get ready for the upcoming Holiday season. Pray for the folks we work with they are people made and loved by God!

The stores are in a holding pattern. They are covering the monthly expenses but not much more for development. The economy (with inflation) means that many folks no longer have the discretionary funds to spend on many of the items we display.  We finally found another employee for our Ann Arbor location which will help with scheduling and upcoming Holiday hours. We praise God for this answer to prayer.

Our personal support some months continues to fall short. Please continue to pray about this, we know we are non-traditional missionaries but still, find ourselves praying with and serving many who have no way of giving back.  We are finding this a regular act of faith to trust God for what we need.  Pray for us and about our regular needs.

That is the low down on what has been happening in our lives.  Thanks as always for your prayers and support for what we do.

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To help with our personal support click here

Marketplacemanna.com – online store

To help with our development fund click here