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Protected Harbor is having their annual Prayer Breakfast Thursday, November 1, 2018 at 7am. Click here to get your tickets!
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Native American Flute Circle
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The ladies of Protected Harbor engage in a number of activities together, including a unique hobby they have grown to love.
The Protected Harbor Native American Flute Circle began in October 2016, all thanks to a man named Michael Simons. With Michael’s help, the ladies were provided with Am Native American Flutes and bags from High Spirit Flutes located in Patagonia, Arizona. Odell Borg, the owner of High Spirits was kind enough to give discounted pricing after hearing of the specialized program.
Michael meets with the women on Sunday afternoons for lessons. The program began with introducing the basic mechanics of the Native American flute, starting with the scale and breathing. As they became skilled at this, new musical patterns were introduced and the ladies mastered them over time.
In December, High Spirit Flutes donated 6 High Am flutes to the ladies as a special Christmas holiday present. “The women were so surprised and grateful for the new flutes,” Michael recalls. “The smaller flutes were easy for them to use.”
Some of the ladies picked up the new fingering patterns faster than others using the new instruments. To overcome this new challenge, Michael encouraged the ladies to play together and mirror each other as they learned.
In the last several months as the ladies improved their skills, two songs were introduced to them to play. These songs are very similar in style to help them use the fingering patterns they recently learned. The first song is a 3-part harmony song which many flute circles use for new students, and the second song is “Tatonka”, a Lacota Indian traditional song which honors the Bison.
Other Traditional Native American percussion instruments, drums, sticks, shakers have also been introduced to the group to help them learn rhythms and move their skills forward.
“I have fully enjoyed teaching the women the Native American flute, and I’m so pleased with their progress,” beams Michael.
The women all enjoy the gathering each time and are excited to continue learning the instrument and its history. Thank you to Michael Simons for all of your hard work teaching our ladies the art of music!
Meet the Duncans
Posted by“Here we are Lord, send us”
Protected Harbor opened its first home to six wonderful women and continues to offer a warm, loving, Christian environment for them to live and grow. This home and these girls would not be what they are if not for two people, Perry and Beverly Duncan.
Who are these people who have dedicated their lives to serving in this ministry? We invite you to get to know these two Protected Harbor house parents.
Perry and Beverly met in college in 1968 and were married two years later. When Perry graduated from college, he joined the military while Beverly finished school. The couple went on to pursue careers that brought them to new places and provided them with bountiful experiences.
Over the years, the couple has gone wherever God directs. They have experienced life in Europe for three years, then returned to the U.S. to to join the corporate world. Later they founded a Christian school in Atlanta. No matter where they were in life, they continued to say “Here we are Lord, send us.”
After retiring and moving to Southwest Florida, they found themselves being called to a new ministry. Florida Baptist Children’s Home (FBCH) hired the couple to manage a small home for adult women with developmental disabilities, owned by a nonprofit organization named Protected Harbor. At the time, FBCH was responsible for managing Protected Harbor’s home. After some time with Perry and Beverly in charge, Protected Harbor employed the couple directly to manage operations.
Now, you will find these two spending their days (and nights) in the women’s home caring for the women’s needs and working fervently to ensure their quality of life.
“I love watching the ladies live life,” said Perry. “The Lord shows through them, and although some of the changes they make are miniscule, it is nice to watch them make progress over the years.”
When they are not with the ladies, the two enjoy boating and spending time on the beach. They make it a priority to go visit their three sons and eight grandchildren throughout the year.
Thank you, Perry and Beverly, for sharing your lives with this ministry. We are blessed that the Lord sent you to us!
Men’s Home Construction Update
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Standing on the Word
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Volunteer Spotlight – Alyssa Hayes
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Alyssa Hayes started volunteering at Protected Harbor soon after it opened. She learned about Protected Harbor through church connections. Now, she serves on the Board and remains an active volunteer with the Ladies’ Home.
During the summer, Alyssa goes to the home to participate in activities with residents. They have painted flower pots, made clay stepping stones, cooked, and made seasonal crafts. She has spent time with one of the residents, Tiffany, at the zoo in Naples, and has had the residents visit her home for pool time and lunch each year.
Alyssa has a master’s degree from Loyola University in Baltimore in Speech-Language Pathology and has been a Speech Pathologist for 25 years. Alyssa has always worked with children with developmental disabilities and has done extensive speech work with Protected Harbor resident Tiffany. Originally nonverbal, Alyssa has helped Tiffany to produce a whisper voice through speech activities and iPad programs. Tiffany is now able to produce an audible voice.
Alyssa says she is grateful for the time she gets to spend with the ladies and the house staff. She values the relationship that she has built with the house staff and admires their service to this ministry. Alyssa feels that the residents truly bless her with their childlike faith and personalities.
Contact us today if you’d like to get more involved with this ministry!
You’re Invited! Standing on the Word
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 Sunday, July 23, 2017
2pm to 4pm 5941 Briarcliff Road
Fort Myers, FL 33912
You are invited to write their favorite Bible verse on the concrete of the Men’s Home before we put down flooring.
Help us build the foundation of faith our future residents will stand on for years to come.
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R.S.V.P. to Emily Sumpmann at 239-777-9044 or [email protected]
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Light the Lighthouse Fund Drive
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PROTECTED HARBOR
LIGHT THE LIGHTHOUSE
FUND DRIVE TO FINISH AND FURNISH THE MEN’S HOME
God has already provided 100% of the estimated cost of construction.
This is a fund drive to finish, furnish and support the Men’s Home.
Won’t you consider joining us to make this house a home?
Common Area Furnishings: $30,000
Help to make this house a home by donating toward the areas of the house all residents and guests will enjoy for years to come.
Sponsor a Bedroom/Bath for one of our residents: $24,200 Give the gift of a bedroom and bathroom for one of our residents who will live there for many years. (Each suite is 220 square feet X $110)
Appliance Package: $14,000 Whether it’s watching the Super Bowl on a TV or learning to cook on a stove, these gifts will be used year round! Donate to outfit the house will all of the necessary appliances.
Furnish a Bedroom/Bath: $3,000
Each man deserves his own space where he can relax. A bed, a dresser, decor – all of these things make this space special.
If you are interested in any of the above opportunities, call us at 239-278-0200.
Gifts of any size are welcomed and appreciated.
Consider donating at any of the levels below to leave your mark on Protected Harbor’s Men’s Home.
$1,000
$500
$250
$100
$50
Click the donate button below to make your gift online today!
Thank you for helping us get this far and for continuing your generosity as we continue this journey!
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Easter Letter 2017
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He has risen, He has risen indeed!
Easter, the feast day commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, is a time of rebirth and rejoicing in Jesus Christ’s victory over death. Easter is a wonderful reminder of eternal life that is granted to all of us who believe in Him, and new life is given to each of us with our faith in Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. This hope that is found in the good news of the Gospel continues to give us faith and trust in Him to transform lives every day.
God has blessed many families with precious children who have developmental, physical and cognitive disabilities. These families have had faith that God would provide safety for their child, and they have trusted that God will sustain a future for their child once they are unable to provide their daily care. As the population of adults with disabilities grows, so does the importance of the homes we provide. When parents due to age and failing health are no longer able to care for their dependent adults, Protected Harbor provides a home where they can feel like they have finally grown up and become an active, self-assured, important part of their home, their church and their local community.
We see the work of the Gospel in the faces of the women who reside in Protected Harbor’s Women’s Home in Fort Myers, as their lives have been transformed with new independence and spiritual growth. The home is thriving with six women who are living with the comforts of home. These women are active participants in daily activities such as cooking, cleaning, laundry, gardening, exercising, working and volunteering. Staff is available to assist with daily needs, including financial, medical, and social, so aging family members are able to provide love and support as they are physically able.
“How blessed is he who considers the helpless; The Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble. The Lord will protect him and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth; The Lord will sustain him upon his sickbed; in his illness, you restore him to health.” Psalm 41:1-3
This verse teaches us that God speaks His promise to those of us who serve the helpless. We rejoice that with your generous giving we have been able to sustain the Women’s Home that provides a Christian environment full of constant love, encouragement and acceptance in a safe nurturing home. Tiffany is blossoming with her communication and community activities, while Kim is thriving in her independence. Janie knits scarves and blankets for the church craft sale and leads worship and prayer in the church. The women participate in weekly flute lessons, participate in monthly social gatherings and Special Olympics. These opportunities are provided because many of you have prayed with us and have given generously to maintain the home and house parents that dedicate their lives to this ministry.
And now, we praise Him for new birth again this Easter with the groundbreaking of Protected Harbor’s Men’s Home. As many of you know, building start is imminent for the new home where Dennis, our longtime spokesperson, will finally make his dream a reality. Please pray with us for the men who will fill the rooms at the Men’s home and for their families as they trust that God will provide care for their loved one.
We rejoice in the recent groundbreaking of the men’s home, made possible through God’s gifts and your generous donations as well as the two grants from Florida Housing Finance Corporation and Lee County. However, we still need approximately $200,000 to furnish and support the Men’s Home and have the reserves we need for prudent operation. We ask that you prayerfully consider helping us open the doors to this home for the young men God has already selected. Your donation could provide a young man with a new bedroom, assist with contributions to the common area furnishings, or provide appliances for the home. “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23,24
As we celebrate our Resurrected King, who has called us to help those in need, won’t you join our prayer team and prayerfully consider contributing to the building and furnishing of the Men’s Home so that new life can prosper for these men? We trust Him for the supply and do all things to glorify Him.
With great thanks and appreciation,
Alyssa Hayes
Board Member
Protected Harbor
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Future Home: Preparing for Groundbreaking & Construction
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Architectural drawing of the future Protected Harbor group home
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Please join us in praising God for continued progress. Protected Harbor has advanced into the building permit process. We pray that the groundbreaking for the new home will take place in mid-February 2017. We are excited to welcome our first residents and grow to have four residents by the end of 2017. However, approximately $200,000 is still needed to complete the project and ensure our success in caring for our residents.
Please prayerfully consider making a contribution to fill this gap. Please keep us in your prayers as Protected Harbor moves ahead in preparation for construction. Please pray that we are successful at obtaining the necessary building permits and that God allows for a prompt groundbreaking in February.