MINSTER – Following what she felt was the word of God, Karen Homan recently told a crowd of more than 200 people at the Halls of Hanover in Minster about building a free mission called the Do Good Restaurant and Ministry in Osgood.

Homan said the project has grown into a ministries for babies, tutoring, Bible study, exercise, health and wellness, as well as the Honor Meal ministry, for which there would be no charge beyond a free will offering. More information can be found on Do Good Restaurant and Ministry’s Facebook page.

Homan said seeking to build a restaurant, “although I had no experience,” was based on trust in God. Currently, the building is expected to be completed by mid-summer of this year.

She said her journey began two years ago when a voice “spoke out loud” to her. She said the voice said “There are so many people who are not coming to church. I will show you ways to get them to come back.”

Homan said that after days of trying to keep busy and not think about this event, she finally felt compelled by the persistent voice to take paper and pen up and write down the ideas being offered to her.

She said it started with being directed to buy the Silver Spur restaurant in Osgood.

“Then I was given four peoples’ names, people I didn’t even know,” she said.

Her journey continued with her approaching the Silver Spur owners, and at finding them receptive to a sale, Homan again asked for a sign that this was really a God-directed mission. She said the voice directed her to ask about a picture of the now-demolished Osgood State Bank. The Silver Spur owner said someone had dropped one off recently. Homan said she looked closely at the children in the picture and realized with some shock that she was one of the children in the picture.

In searching for ways to finance her new venture, she said she was assured by the voice that other people will provide funding and was directed to the names of the four people who’s names she had written down. Four people she did not know, “so I had to Google their names to get the address,” she said.

She said her encounters in this mission were always with people who seemed to be waiting for her, sharing with Homan their anticipation that something was about to happen.

Homan said while she often had doubts of the validity of her mission, especially in ways to raise funding, the voice simply would say to “trust him and remain obedient.”

She said she again asked for one “crazy” sign that “would not offend God.” She decided her sign would be to receive a certain amount of money from a potential donor at a particular time. She did not tell the donor the amount of money she needed.

About an hour before her self-imposed deadline, Homan said, the donor gave her an envelope. Homan drove away, with the envelope unopened. Once she did look inside, she said she found $10,000, the amount she specified.

“I nearly drove off the road,” she said.

When the $360,000 bill to begin the building projected submitted by contractor Baumer Construction company on January of this year, Homan wondered if she would be compelled to borrow against the family farm.

She said she then was compelled to approach a woman she did not know but had seen in church. After a brief explanation of what Homan said she needed, the woman invited them to the house. Homan said after again explaining the nature of her mission, she walked out with a check for the $360,000.

She said many of the people she approached had had their own dreams and thoughts about an impending important event. Homan said they often expressed relief when she told them of the persistent guidance she had experienced.

Homan said all the various mission activities came almost of their own accord, originated when the voice told her to ask this or that person for help. For example, when the voice encouraged her to approach one woman, Homan found the woman wanted to build a work out space.

“The voice told me I could put it (the gym) in the basement, but we did not have a basement” in the current building, Homan said. Yet somehow, the funding, equipment and planning came together to construct an entirely new building.

Future plans will include a Children’s Memorial Splash Pad and a parking lot for the property.

Homan said the voice of God told her to tell everyone “We are all blessed in such abundance. You think it is your hard work, but I have given you a healthy body. All you have are my gifts. The air, the ground, everything, all gifts. So, give in the proportion to the wealth I give you.”