Christine Ming is leaving after 16 Faithful Years

Christine Ming, Program Coordinator in Portland for the past 16 years, has taken another position with Maine Veterans Home and is leaving The Root Cellar. Christine played a vital role in our ministry in Portland and has faithfully demonstrated love for God and neighbor. She led after school and summer ministries for children, engaged women through Ladies Tea and Ladies Breakfast groups and built The Root Cellar’s Christmas Store from the ground up. For many years, Christine wrote and designed our monthly newsletter, Christmas cards and many other Root Cellar printed materials.

Last week, I had a chance to reflect with Christine about her time at The Root Cellar.

As she looks back, there are mixed emotions and thankfulness.

“It's bitter sweet. It’s been so amazing to see how much the kids and women that I've cared for so long have responded to the news. I am more aware than ever of how much I have meant to them, and how much they have meant to me. God has used the love that we built together in great ways. I feel deeply privileged to have served here. I am humbled by the people that I’ve been able to serve and serve with. I leave them in body, but not in spirit. They and this work will be carried in my prayers. “

Much has changed around The Root Cellar since Christine first joined our team in 2006. During that time span, we opened the Lewiston site, had several leadership changes, and generations of neighbors have come and gone. "I've seen everything change — the people we serve, the community around us, and the staff of The Root Cellar,” said Christine. “There are more opportunities for our neighbors than ever, and The Root Cellar is linking up and working together with other organizations now more than before.“

Looking back over the years…

She shared several beautiful memories as well. Each captured the importance of focusing on relationships within our ministries, something Christine prioritized throughout her time with The Root Cellar.

God used Christine over the years to create safe spaces for our neighbors in need to find peace and in many cases - the presence of God.

“One winter, a woman - who was a recent immigrant - came to us needing a coat. We were able to find one for her, and upon receiving the coat, she fell on her knees, thanking God. Watching the tears stream down her face, I knew she had just come into the Kingdom. The whole room was feeling this with her, realizing her need and the need being met. The sense was that - this simple act had given her hope when she needed it most." 

“There was a Somali woman who came into our Ladies Tea. She was quiet and very reserved. While we were all eating scones, suddenly she started sobbing. I thought that we had done something wrong, maybe we had offended her. She told us a story of how her 5 year old daughter had suffered a horrific assault, and in all that was needed to flee her country, she had never been able to emotionally recover. She hadn't grieved this event in all these years.  During the Ladies Tea, she found the safe space in the middle of tea and scones to weep and grieve the loss of her child's innocence.” 

Much of Christine’s time has been spent with our youngest neighbors. Over her16 years, several generations of kids have come, grown and moved on in life, but the impact of her love and investment in their lives isn’t forgotten.

“After I had been here for 10 or 12 years, all of these 20 year old boys walked into The Root Cellar. I realized that all of them were my kids from years past. They always pushed me to limit. They all walked in, and asked me to come over and talk with them. They said, “We were all talking and we decided. You been a second mom to us and we came to say thank you." They have reached out again in the recent weeks, now 5 or 6 years later than that moment. There are a few of them in college and some have jobs. One brings his niece to the program each day.  One of those boys, named Rico, started coming at about 7 years old. We were working on his homework together, and he was having an especially difficult time. "I'm too stupid. I cant do this," he said, feeling defeated. I responded by telling him what I saw in him. "I’ve seen you do amazing things with other kids. I don't believe you are stupid at all." We kept at it, working together each week. A year later when we were working on homework, he boasted, "My teachers say I’m really smart. I’ve been getting good grades." He had started to believe in himself and it made a huge difference for him academically. “

Christine spent much of her time behind the camera, instead of in front of it. Here’s a few of our favorites!

“Our volunteers are the best in the world…”

Christine has served alongside many volunteers over the years, and she considerd it a great honor to know and work with them.

“I feel like I have been with the cream of the crop in Portland, those who care and sacrifice the most for God's love. We have had the best volunteers in the world. They come here for all the right reasons. Often, it's been the heart and soul of the volunteers that have carried me through each day. They are the flame that keeps burning. I feel so honored and aware that - much more than they know - they are what is keeping this work vital and alive.”

What does it take to do her job?

She has some great advice for the next Program Coordinator, as well. “My hopes for the next person is that they will realize quickly how important and crucial this work is. It's so life changing. For a while, I was just running programing, focused on activities and things for them to do. But that changed. I transitioned to loving on these kids with all of my heart. And that changed everything.” 

Christine leaves us with some wise words to live by. “I'd like to say - this is an impossible job. you can't do it. God can do this job. He will and he will bring everything you need. If you need pie, he will bring pie. If you need shoelaces, you'll find someone offering you shoelaces! Its quite amazing to see! However the minute you think you can do this job on your own strength, you are setting yourself up.”

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Christine, on behalf of The Root Cellar both past and present, thank you. Thank you for loving your neighbors, being faithful and creating spaces for the Kingdom of God to advance. We can’t wait to see what God does through you in your next chapter. Grace and peace to you on the journey.