It often takes a team to accomplish great things, but it just takes one person to first have the vision to make great things happen. Meet Dan Stout. He first volunteered at Liebenzell Retreat Center in the spring of 2024 and has since founded Mattaniah Construction Ministry.
Recruited by our General Director, Rev. Christopher Matthews, Dan says, “I’ve been in construction all my life, so this kind of work comes naturally to me. I was very happy to come to the Retreat Center and be used where my skills were needed. I stayed for a week and worked on two major projects. The first day involved assessing a couple of projects that needed attention later, including getting the necessary lumber. On days two and three, I fixed a window that had water damage and rot. Additionally, I repaired some stairs, converting them from metal to wood.”
During his stay, Dan engaged with some of our Impact students (interns from Germany who spend a year at the retreat center). “This was a highlight for me—getting to know the kids, joining them for morning devotions, and talking with them throughout the week. It was also great to meet the dedicated people working behind the scenes,” he says. “God also provided me with opportunities to pray for others. I prayed for a future missionary family and a young lady that I witnessed to, as well as for the Impact kids and the ministry.” Throughout his stay, Dan says, “I gained better insight on how to pray for the ministry’s needs.”
This first encounter with Liebenzell gave Dan a vision to begin Mattaniah Construction Ministry, and after a second trip to the center in November 2024, Dan is organizing a group of six to 10 volunteers from Kentucky who will return in March to remodel the guesthouse entryway and parlor.
What are things you’ve been doing all your life that God could use to bless the Liebenzell Ministry? Do you have a group of skilled friends who would like to help out? Contact us!
Give Now!
Even if you can’t help out with a hammer and saw, you can still be a part of the guesthouse entryway and parlor remodel project.
Dan Stout with Mattaniah Construction Ministry has raised about $2,500 of the $7,000 needed for materials to do the work. Your donation could ensure these dedicated volunteers are fully equipped with lumber, paint, and other construction items.