Testimonies
St Mary of the Assumption Catholic School, Richland Center, WI"Thank you for your time with us. Everyone appreciates the work we had to do because it taught us meaningful lessons for real life. We will remember the fun time we had with you, and we also learned that it’s important to help those who aren’t as fortunate as us. The happiness of the people’s faces when they see the work we did for them will remain in our memory. It was also a fun time talking about what we wanted to do when we grew up. We will use your teachings while we are at Saint Mary’s."
— 8th Grade Class"Thank you so much for all you did for our students during their mission trip. As both the principal and a parent of one of the students, I was able to see firsthand the impact this trip had on our young people, from their class unity to their broadened understanding of their world to growth in faith and charity. You must have discussed their doing little missions every day at home because that is a message they have shared here! God bless you for all the work you do, and we look forward to continued partnerships in the future!"
— Stacia Kohlstedt“You’re finally at peace. You realize whatever is important back home isn’t important out in Appalachia. There’s no one you’re trying to impress, and finally, you can accept yourself.... Everyone tells me what an amazing thing it is for me to “give up” a week of my summer to help the people of Appalachia. Honestly though, Mission Trip gives me far more than I’ve ever given to anyone else. I’m not “giving up” a week of my summer.... I gain more in this week than in any other week in the year.”
A Legacy of Joy
Father Beiting was never thinking about just one person. He believed that serving the poor was good for the served and the server. He believed that if Jesus Christ came that we “may have life, and have it abundantly,” and he calls us to serve the poor, then serving the poor leads to a beautiful life. He lived this belief, for over 60 years, serving the poor tirelessly, bringing Christ to their homes, communities, and hearts. “When you looked into his eyes,” Sue Michael, his longtime coworker, friend, and spiritual daughter, says, “He loved what he did and had the love of God in his heart.”
The Father Beiting Appalachian Mission Center wants to carry on that legacy of volunteers getting just as much from serving as those who experience a helping hand. As the current Director of Operations, Jeremy Ailiff, puts it, “It’s a win, win, win, win. It’s a win for the homeowner, who not only receives a physical need, but are encouraged to pick themselves back up and do more with what they got. It’s a win for the volunteers because they get so much back from God out of giving of their time and talents. It’s a win for our donors, who get to use their resources for something good. And, it’s a win for us here at FBAMC because we get to watch all this come together by the hand of God. Everybody wins!”
Consider joining the work today by volunteering, donating, and most importantly PRAYING. Join this amazing network of people, trying to make a change in Appalachia under the guiding light of Jesus Christ in the pattern of Father Ralph Beiting.