Gap’s Vision is to connect the Body of Christ with seniors locked away in Nursing Home settings. This mission is accomplished by :
Building frioendships and “Adopting” individual residents with a person or a Church.
Creating Life and community by having intergenrational groups with Kids and FAmilies. There is no limit to the types of groups at can form and grow like a new plant growth or flower in a sterile place. Worship Services, Individual prayer, Art Groups, Special and Seasonal events, Christmas Giving, attending to ndividal Needs…. All of these things cause a person to feel encouraged, to feel less forgotten, to feel loved. It is how we represent Jesus to someone. To be lonely is often times the worst things about growing Old. GAP exists to bridge the GAP between a senior and the Body of Christ.
It all started when…
The original start of GAP began in the early 1980s. Although ;many individuals have shared in the common vision to love and serve seniors in Nursing Homes, two key people launched the beginning of this ministry. Alan Doswald, Executive Director of Evangelicals for Social Action had a desire to reach out and be a friend to seniors locked away in care settings and Nursing Homes. He began visiting individual seniors, and also had a bus ministry where he organized and drove seniors on special trips for those who couldn’t afford such a trip. At about the same time, Peggy Brandon felt the Lord put it on her heart to serve seniors in Nursing Homes. She began visiting Nursing Home residents full time in 1985, and from that developed GAP ministries. From this small beginning, the ministry began to grown with over 300 volunteers. Moms and their children gathered with residents to share a craft, to sing, pray and make new friends. Individuals began to informally ‘adopt”residents into their family. Worship services, sharing the gospel, Card Ministries, and making blankets for Christmas occurred throughout the year. In 1994, GAP also developed Christian in home care, a non medical in-home care service that helped seniors stay in their homes. A Christian School adopted residents by classes, and many visits and relationships were made over many years.
GAP closed briefly in 2013, but re-established itself in 2014. Since that time the Heart of GAP has been to serve seniors in Nursing Homes. In the United States, approximately 85% of residents receive no visitors once a resident has been established in a facility for a few months. This should never be in a country such as outs, but the Body of Christ should never let this sad statistic stand.