Crystal’s Bibles for Missions expands
Bibles for Missions Thrift Store has been in the city of Crystal since 1997. The nonprofit recently expanded, and is need of more volunteers.
“We reach out to all the communities in the metro,” says Rudy Speich, the volunteer coordinator at Bibles for missions. “It’s interesting that a lot of people come in here that hurting.”
Those people are the reason many dedicated volunteers give their time to the store.
“I’m one of the main cashiers,” says Kathy Beardsley a Board member for the store. “Sometimes I’ll have a mother with four or five little kids and its back to school time. She will tell me with tears in her eyes that if she did not come here, the kids would not have clothes for school.”
Finding Volunteers can be a challenge
Volunteers are in charge of the store. Finding people willing to donate their time can be tough.
“Our mission is to provide quality used merchandise,” added Beardsley. “All the profit is used for mission work in Eastern Europe. Our store has Bulgaria as our primary support group.”
The store may seem like just a place for people to shop at a fair price. The store’s purpose, is much more.
“One of the things that makes us unique is we aren’t just a thrift store,” added Speich. “We are a mission. We’re not proselytizing anyone, but we will also take time to talk about who Jesus is. That’s our mission and why we are here.”
That mission is what volunteers say makes donating their time here worthwhile.
“I have a lot of people say your working really hard and you don’t get paid that just doesn’t seem right,” says Beardsley. “We don’t get paid monetarily, but we receive blessings you would not imagine.’”
If you’d like to volunteer you can apply at the store which is located at 4713 36th Ave. North. You can also find out more about volunteering by calling 763-522-1786. To learn more about Bibles for Missions as a whole you can visit their website.
The store is located in Crystal but it serves multiple communities.
