The Full Faith Ministries food pantry and multi-purpose building on Hwy. 23 near the Missouri line burned down on Feb. 14, 2022, and now a new building is under construction. It will house a food pantry and kitchen downstairs, and space for a residential discipleship and rehabilitation facility upstairs to help people recovering from drug and alcohol addictions, or those simply needing to be taught a better way of life.
Pastor Beverly Blankenship said she was burning yard debris on Valentine’s Day last year when the wind picked up and spread flames that caught the food pantry on fire, quickly decimating the building.
Later in the year she met the people who run Hannah’s House in Independence, Kan., at a Gathering in the Heartland conference. She was impressed with their work to teach a new way of life to one person at a time. Blankenship said that after prayer and contemplation, she felt called to provide a Hannah’s House in Carroll County.
“I had many conversations with God about how establishing a Hannah’s House in Carroll County is impractical and impossible, especially since building costs soared and labor became scarce in 2022,” she said. “I said, ‘Lord, if you make a way, I’ll make it happen.’ We are just beginning this, but it is exciting.”
An estimated 800 men and women have received assistance from Hannah’s House in Kansas in just the past ten years.
“Not every person was successful in breaking their addictions, but many have gone on to be able to work, take care of their families and live a better life by following the teachings of Jesus,” Blankenship said. “Having a Hannah’s House here will allow us to share the gospel with lost souls and follow the example of Jesus to help those less fortunate.”
Blankenship plans to model the services of Hannah’s House Kansas (hannahshouseks.com) providing a structured homelike environment, unconditional love and support, access to personal growth resources, transitional support, spiritual direction and discipleship, job skills training, life issues counseling, continued education and a personalized life plan. No drugs or alcohol will be allowed on the facilities, and the bedrooms’ upper walls will remain open to allow sound monitoring. There will be a resident manager onsite.
The 1,500 square feet of space upstairs will contain four bedrooms, bathrooms, showers and a common room. The website says the Hannah’s House vision is to provide services that will take men and women from unstable circumstances to stability in every area of life.
“This is a discipleship program for people who want to make a change in their lives and need help,” Blankenship said. “They will be allowed to stay six months to a year during which time they will be taught life skills. Many alcohol and drug treatment facilities provide stays of only six weeks. But it can take much longer, up to a year, to detox from addictions.
“We plan to have volunteers teach classes on financial stability, life skills, Bible studies and other topics. Residents will be required to do community service projects like helping mow yards or do repair projects for those in need. We will also have a garden available for them to grow food for the pantry and the rehab facility.”
There will also be efforts to provide residents with a job or apprenticeship when they finish the program.
Blankenship said many volunteers including carpenters, plumbers, electricians and sheetrock hangers have been involved with constructing the new two-story, 30 x 50 ft. building.
She said the food pantry was popular in the rural area before it burned as some rural people struggle with food insecurity and have limited options to travel to food banks in Eureka Springs.
Blankenship is aware there is opposition by some neighbors to the facility. There is a community water well, but a moratorium was placed on new connections with some residents expressing concern about the impact of the new facility on water from an old, shallow well. Blankenship doesn’t think their building will be a major water user, but said wryly, “I think God wants us to drill a well. Jesus made water spring forth from a rock.”
Blankenship is a former Eureka Springs City alderman and previously owned a retail business in Eureka Springs. In the past five years, she has been dedicated to her ministry at Full Faith.