Out of the Office and Onto the Golf Course

LEBANON, PA – Last Friday was an almost perfect fall day in southeastern Pennsylvania – mostly sunny, 73 degrees with a slight breeze. I stood in the shade of a canopy next to the hole 5 tee, restocking snacks and drinks in anticipation of the arrival of the next round of players on the course. It was HOPE International’s 25th annual golf tournament, a four-person scramble designed to raise funds to invest in the dreams of families living in poverty around the world.   

The extent of my golf experience – aside from some time on outlandish mini-golf courses – comes entirely from manning snack tables at HOPE’s golf tournaments. That is to say, I know very little. Golf tournament day is an all-hands-on-deck situation. Those of us who support the work of HOPE from Lancaster, PA step out of the office and onto the course, regardless of our knowledge or experience. Just as my daily work supports the fundraising work of Homes for HOPE, my goal at the tournament is to do whatever needs to be done to make things run smoothly. 

As in previous years, this year’s tasks included setting up the golf carts ahead of tee time and keeping the snack table stocked throughout the afternoon. This year, however, “goat walker” joined my list of responsibilities. True story, HOPE’s president and CEO Peter Greer handed me the leash he had been holding so he could greet guests. I didn’t get the chance to see the presentation that featured goats as an illustration, but the goats themselves were a hit! This year I also got to interview long-time tournament golfers and sponsors for an upcoming video project.  

Because I work in the operations and marketing space, organizing and creating behind the scenes, I don’t often get face time with our building industry partners the way Homes for HOPE reps do. I hear relayed accounts of why someone chooses to partner with us… a highlight from an event or a sound bite from a recording. So, it was super fun to get to ask golfers why they have chosen to be involved in the work of HOPE over the years. 

Several golfers said that the concept of giving a hand up instead of a handout drew them to the work of HOPE. We – I – often take the opportunities we have for granted. Having come from a working-class family, the only way I was able to attend university and get out of my economically depressed hometown was through scholarships and student loans. It’s not exaggerating to say that it changed the entire trajectory of my life. At university, I found Jesus and developed deep, lifelong friendships in addition to gaining knowledge and skills. I’m so thankful for that hand up. Through the years, access to capital has allowed me to buy cars and buy a home and build a life for my family. For people living in spaces without banking services or ethical lending practices, access to capital can change their entire trajectory, too. 

One golf tournament sponsor said, “We just love the mission [of HOPE] and feeling like we’re making a difference around the world.” How incredible is it that each of us can do our jobs every day – using our specific gifts and talents, right in the places we find ourselves – and make a difference in the lives of people we may never meet, on the other side of the globe?!? That’s one thing that drew me to Homes for HOPE, too; people who find themselves in difficult situations are given opportunities to make their dreams a reality.  

Homes for HOPE connects the building industry to the work of HOPE in over thirty countries, providing discipleship, biblically based training, a safe place to save, and loans. Across the HOPE network, we equip men and women with Christ-centered financial services, breaking the cycle of poverty and impacting their children and communities. 

Over the first 24 years of golf tournaments, we raised just over $8 million. This year’s tournament alone raised $1.6 million! That will initially serve 64,000* families this year. What captivates me even more than the numbers are the faces and names. I put this video together for our founder, Jeff Rutt of Keystone Custom Homes, to share the story of just one of the families impacted by this work.  

If you would like an opportunity to be a part of what God is doing through the work of HOPE, please reach out to one of our reps. You can request a meeting here: Welcome to Homes for HOPE | Homes for HOPE. They will happily answer any questions you may have!  

*$25 allows HOPE to serve one person with discipleship, training, a safe place to save, and loans for a year. 

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