Mission STORIES
Love at Work
Through our Missions ministries, Vineyard Columbus partners with Christ to heal the world - meeting practical needs, defending the vulnerable, and creating spaces for hope to take root.
From legal advocacy and crisis pregnancy support to community gardens, ESL classes, and life-affirming care, every story reflects God’s heart for restoration and the steady faithfulness of those who serve.
They Didn't Ignore Me
At AIM Day Services, a program at our Vineyard Community Center for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, one young woman joined a trial day where participants gathered for worship, prayer, and an adapted Bible lesson.
During the devotional, she shared that “Jesus is real, and he is alive.”
For someone who communicates by typing, that moment of faith spoke louder than words.
When her mother picked her up and asked how the day went, she typed simply:
“They didn’t ignore me.”
It may seem small to some, but for her and her mom, it was everything.
Because of AIM, she found not just a program, but a place where she is fully seen – and heard.
Tears of Surrender
Ahmed (not his real name) grew up in Columbus after his family emigrated from Sierra Leone when he was a child. Although he was raised in a Muslim home, he had felt Jesus pursing him his whole life.
One day, Ahmed searched online for a Bible and found Vineyard Columbus. He stopped by the church and met Pastor Jerome, who prayed with him, gave him a Bible, and helped him take his first steps in faith.
That Sunday, Ahmed came to a service for the first time, joined by a member of our prayer team. As worship began, emotion overtook him and he could not stop crying.
He asked the team member, “Why am I crying?”
They told him, “You are not alone. That is what happens to so many people when they meet Jesus.”
Jesus pursues each of us with love and patience, calling us into new life.
Advocating for Justice
A woman from El Salvador came to Vineyard Columbus seeking help after surviving sexual assault by her partner in Arkansas.
Our Immigration Counseling Services team worked tirelessly to obtain a U visa certification, a rare legal status for victims of violent crime who bravely cooperate with law enforcement.
Through the team’s persistence and advocacy, her case was recognized, and she was granted protection.
Her assailant was sentenced to prison and probation because she had the courage to speak and the legal support to be heard.
God’s justice often moves through the steadfast advocacy of those who amplify the voices of the vulnerable.
Surrounded by Love
A pregnant mother who had been living on the streets came to Vineyard Columbus in crisis.
Through Value Life, she was connected to Esther’s Place of Grace, a home and support program for single, pregnant women, providing safety, counseling, parenting classes, and help moving toward a stable future.
The women of Viña Columbus surrounded her with care, hosting a baby shower, gathering the items she needed, and walking alongside her through pregnancy and birth.
Today, both mother and son are healthy. She has found not only a place of safety, but a church she calls home, and she is preparing to be baptized - a public step into new life and faith.
God’s restoration often begins in community, where love surrounds and belonging is restored.
Joy in Translation
After arriving from Cuba, a student joined the Intro to English course at our Vineyard Community Center.
One afternoon, she called her ESL teacher, brimming with excitement. “I just asked someone where the bathroom is,” she shared in Spanish.
“I’m calling you from the bathroom because I had to tell you that I used English for the first time!”
Moments like this capture what our ESL program is all about - helping students find not just new words, but the confidence to live and thrive in a new language and culture.
God delights when his children find their voice.
Gardens and Grace
Over the winter, the Creation Care team had been praying for younger people and families to join the ministry.
This spring, a neighbor stopped by the Melrose garden to learn more. A few days later, he returned with his young daughter to help plant peas.
They left excited to bring more friends and neighbors with them to help the garden grow.
What began as a winter prayer grew into new community - a faithful answer from God who makes all things grow.
