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Something New Coming to the Shores of Lake Minneola

Friday, February 3, 2012

History was made in Minneola on January 26th when Dr. Ted Barnett, U.S. Director of AIM International, turned the first spade of dirt for a new Activities Center. Construction began a few days later on the million dollar facility which will have a swimming pool, fitness room, exercise room, and hobby center.

For more than 70 years an unobtrusive group of retired missionaries has lived along the shores of Lake Minneola. Over the years not much seemed to change in their quiet little village surrounding two large ponds. Then ten years ago Africa Inland Mission (AIM) International which operates the facility for its personnel embarked on a major development project. Five new duplex houses have been constructed. The most obvious addition seen by those travelling on SR 561 was the completion of a new office, library and banquet facility in 2008. In 2011 seventeen apartment units were finished on the east side of that administration building.

A large portion of the work on these buildings has been done by Christian men and women from across the United States who have volunteered their expertise in construction. The largest group of workers is affiliated with SOWERS, a Christian RV Association where the members travel around the country assisting churches, camps, rehab facilities and missionary organizations.

In his remarks before breaking ground for the new building, Dr. Barnett, noted that the Africa Inland Mission Retirement Center is more than a place for people who have given most of their lives to helping improve the quality of life for hundreds of thousands of people in Africa, it is an active center of prayer for the continuing effort of telling Africans the Good News of Jesus Christ. Dr. Barnett then challenged the residents to exercise their faith and commitment to prayer by asking God to provide the remaining half million dollars needed for completion of the building. The initial $500,000 was given by the Trustees of the mission and comes from proceeds of the sale of mission property in a suburb of New York City in January 2011. AIM International moved its U.S. headquarters from New York to Peachtree City, Georgia, in August 2011.