Mission Haven

About Us - Our History

 

Mission Haven began in the early 1920's when Mrs. J. D. Clotsworthy of Atlanta, Georgia entrusted to Dr. Richard Gillespie, President of Columbia Theological Seminary, a five-dollar gold piece to be used "where the need was greatest." Her gift was set aside as the first gift toward building a home for our missionaries when in the U.S. on furlough.

 

Mrs. Fannie Jordan Bryan of Columbia, South Carolina was  instrumental in raising several thousand dollars in five-dollar shares to be used at "the time of God's own choosing."

 

"The time..." came in 1946, after Columbia's move to Decatur, Georgia when an all-out fundraising campaign began. By the spring of 1950, with $17,000 in cash donations, construction of the first building began on acreage leased to us by the Seminary Trustees.  Ready for occupancy in late 1950, we incorporated in January, 1951.

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The Women of the Church Birthday Offering in 1953 provided partial funding for the erection of a second building containing four apartments.  This building now contains 6 apartments, a laundry room, and storage facilities.

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A clothes closet was begun in 1955 so that missionaries on furlough could obtain suitable and seasonal clothing for their stay in the U.S. or to take back with them to the mission field.

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In 1960, a house on Inman Drive was purchased, followed by two more houses in 1969 and 1972. 

 

Since that time, we have added a meeting room and exercise facility.  We continue to maintain and renovate our residences to provide temporary housing for mission co-workers and their families who have no home of their own in the U.S.