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 Many buildings have a history, but few buildings have a personality. The ELWA Missionary Guesthouse has both. It wasn't a consulate, but international dignitaries often visited. It wasn't a school, but life lessons were taught and learned there every day. It wasn't a church, but Jesus dwelled there.
Originally constructed by ELWA's founding missionaries in the 1950's, the Guesthouse was the gathering place for an entire generation of children, who still lovingly refer to themselves as "ELWA Kids" though many are now in their 40's, 50's and 60's. And its door was always open. Foreign leaders from around the world were welcomed and entertained. Local people walked in any time of the day or night to get a drink, or something to eat, or a kind word in the name of Jesus. Over the years, the ELWA Guesthouse also served as a barber shop, a movie theater, a roller-skating rink, a funeral parlor, and a dining hall. It hosted barbecues, babysitting classes, piano recitals, wedding showers, skit nights, Saturday baking parties, and farewell gatherings for departing missionary families after decades of service. It was home to all and a haven for those in need. |
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ELWA Ministries Association USA