Dear Malta House Friend,
You did it. Yes, YOU.
Your past support of our "Growing the Mission" in a New Home Campaign allowed us to meet our two-year-long capital campaign goal of $4.5MM. We can now say that our campaign is “officially” closed and we are packing our bags and preparing to move in this spring.
We have no sufficient words to express our gratitude; all we can say is, thank you. What an amazing thing it is to know we will soon open the doors to the next chapter of the story that began 25 years ago by two new parents, eager to ensure others are blessed as they had been with the gift of life.
I will admit, this hasn’t been easy. We had hoped to wrap up our campaign early last year while the construction of our new home was underway and set to be completed in December. 2020 had other plans for us though, and I think back to it as humankind’s collective “time in the desert”.
While funny and creative jokes and memes kept us laughing (one of my favorites was a Pastor I know who said last March, “This is the Lentiest Lent I ever Lented!”), the reality was – in the blink of an eye, everything changed, and we were forced to re-evaluate the things that really mattered.
You showed us that supporting homeless, pregnant mothers and their babies – the most vulnerable among us – matters. You showed us that protecting life matters. You showed us that, regardless of how difficult things are, doing whatever we can to help someone in need matters. You showed us that love matters.
I recently heard someone share that, while conventional wisdom says one should “give until it hurts”, he heard a much wiser saying many years ago: “Give until you’re happy.” I wish you could be in our home each day to witness the miracles that take place because I know it would make you happy to see what your gift has made possible.
Just one example is the 4-week-old twins who came home to us the other day.
With nowhere else to turn, the boys’ mother found Malta House in her last two months of her high-risk pregnancy. After the birth of her boys, she had hoped so much that things would work out with their father and left Malta House to move in with him. Sadly, they did not, so she and her beautiful boys are now back home with us.
I think I understand the parable of the prodigal son a little better now, and we can’t wait to channel your love and shower Mom and her little ones with all the care, support, encouragement, and hope that Malta House has been providing for 22 years, because of you.
I hope these two, 5-pound blessings – who will be among the first residents at MH2 – are just one more reason for you to be joyful. And I pray you have a small glimpse of the joy you bring our families, who have a “room at the inn”, because of you.
On behalf of Michael and AC O’Rourke – the dreamers who brought Malta House to life, our board of directors, and all of the mothers and babies who will walk through our doors, we offer our sincere gratitude and much love.
Carey Dougherty
Executive Director
Malta House, Inc.
P.S. I hope so much you will join us for a tour or at the grand opening of the home you helped build. We will keep you updated on the opening as soon as plans are finalized, but please don’t hesitate to reach out if you are ever in the Norwalk area, and it would be my pleasure to offer you a personal tour.