Mountie Mission Spotlight! Every now and then we like to highlight people and businesses who support our mission. Today, we would like that to be another non-profit in Ladoga, called Mountie Mission! Diane Cross has been building up this service since 2005. After taking over a local food pantry, she noticed that the people she was helping often needed more than food. So, she started collecting furniture and other things they were lacking. Then, in 2007, the MCCF gave her a grant to purchase a building! A few other grants and a lot of prayer later, the mission just sort of fell together.
Now, it is “an organization that endeavors to fulfill the commands of Jesus Christ by meeting the needs of low-income families, by supplying material and spiritual needs.” When I walked into the Mountie Mission building for our meeting, all the lights were off. Diane Cross, the founder and owner, shared “it keeps the electricity down”. One thing that stands out about Diane is that she is always ready to go out of her way for another person. Knowing how much time she spends on others, I couldn’t help but ask, “how is it going with setting boundaries?” It is easy to become weary when you are so needed, but she assured me that it was going good!
Outside of the building, you can often find tables of free food, clothing, and household items for grabs – she trusts that people will only take what they need. I have been to many free clothing stores, thrift stores, and the like, but a couple of things stand out about this place. Diane has high standards for the items that she accepts, most all of which are brand new or gently used. Everything is clean and organized inside and you can tell that she takes pride in what she does, and that a lot of love goes into her giving. Regarding this philosophy, she said, “the Lord says to give our best”.
On the wall is a huge sign that reads, “if you don’t like it, don’t take it”. This is a lot different from the usual mentality that “they should just be grateful for what they got”. While there is truth in that, Diane also wants to make sure that people feel good about their clothes and items for their homes. She shared a little about her heart, stating “even as a kid, I was always playing with the underdog. I think the Lord gave me a heart that is way too big for my body!”, which made us both laugh. She also shared that “Jesus is the CEO… (Christ of Entire Organization), we just do what we are asked to do, as His children”. She has a refreshing balance of seriousness and humor.
The whole time we walked through the building, she never stopped asking if the ladies in our program needed this or that. Driven by her passion to share the love of Christ, Diane says her greatest needs are prayer for her health, as well as sample hygiene/travel size, and monetary donations. Currently, Diane is seeking donations for air conditioning and furnaces, along with general building updates. You can learn more about the Mountie Mission by following them on facebook >> https://www.facebook.com/www.mountiemission.org