In our mission to train young men and women to take the gospel into the world, a need has arisen; our students need a new place to live while they train. Last year, the apartments where the AIMers lived were sold, and the new owners have significantly raised the rent. We were paying $82,360 a year (this included utilities) for 12 units for our students. This was a significant discount because the previous owners were members of the church, and they saw it as their way of partnering with AIM. We are now paying $104,400 a year plus utilities, and the new owners are raising the rent to $116,000 next year.
Partner with AIM as we seek to build permanent housing for our students! This would put AIM in a place where we don’t have to negotiate prices every year, allow us to have AIMers in a safer location, and prevent us from giving away money year after year. With rent going up, it’s time to have a permanent location.
We were blessed to purchase a property within one mile of the Sunset Church of Christ. This is a step of faith. Presently the land on 39th Street and Salem Avenue has been cleared, and we are waiting for the plans and permits to be finalized. We should break ground at the beginning of June. It should be completed by April 2024. The cost should be about $4.5 million. It will have 20 units that will allow us to have classes of 80 students.
AIM received an opportunity; a generous donor matched $500,000 from AIM alumni and friends.
The goal was to have $1,000,000 raised by the end of the year.
I have been overwhelmed by the donations given in a short time from alumni, parents of AIMers, churches, businesses, church members, and even others who only heard about it because the need was shared.
I am so grateful for all of you who took part in our $500k matching challenge. We surpassed the goal because so many have been involved! Glory be to God! With the matching, we now have $1,041,630.50 to go toward this project. We still have more money to raise, but this puts us closer to our total goal. I believe this is the most money in the least amount of time that has ever been raised for AIM. Thank you so much for believing in this ministry. We continue to pray that God will do even greater things as we move forward. I believe he will.
Mail checks to Adventures in Missions with a note designating it to AIM Housing Project. You can also give online and choose to fund the AIM Housing Project.
Still following,
Cory Burns
Director, Adventures in Missions
Sunset International Bible Institute
3723 34th Street
Lubbock, TX 79410