This article was originally published in GO! Christian Magazine in Summer 2017. www.gochristianmagazine.com
The angry sky was pitch dark, and the sound of rain beating mercilessly against the sturdy wooden vessel filled the air. The boat, the biggest ever built up to that point, rocked back and forth on the waves, dipping nose first into a trough, then riding high, climbing upward until it crashed down again.
Outside was treacherous. But inside, everyone and everything was safe and dry. The rain couldn’t penetrate, the wind couldn’t rip apart, and the waves couldn’t sink Noah’s Ark.
Just as Noah’s Ark was a place of safety and sanctuary thousands of years ago, so The Ark in Panama City Beach is as well.
The Ark is a 160-bed bunkhouse that was founded to serve as a retreat center for the Alabama West Florida Conference of The United Methodist Church. Its location on Panama City Beach is perfect for rest and renewal – toes sinking into sugar white sand, swimming in the emerald green water and experiencing breathtaking sunsets that spill oranges, reds and purples across the sky. But as needs arose in the community, The Ark’s founders saw past paradise. They saw hurting people in need of shelter. Over the decades, The Ark has become a safe haven.
Some of The Ark’s residents this summer are international students on J-1 visas. They arrive in Panama City Beach, get jobs and experience American culture. The Ark also sponsors Christian groups like Kaleo and Campus Outreach, and hosts retreats for pastors.
New co-directors Mike and Liz Bennett are awaiting much positive change they know God can bring to the area through the Ark’s services. They are humbled by what they have witnessed so far. Each day they surrender the ministry and its direction to God.
“You have to rely on God. There’s no other way it can all come together,” Liz said.
The Ark provides many opportunities for the public to serve. Recently, several church groups spent a day helping to clean, organize, and paint so The Ark would be ready for the J-1 visa students who would be flying in from all over the world. Volunteers scrubbed bathrooms and walls, washed kitchen cabinets, installed blinds, assembled bed frames and swept floors. Hearts were warmed by the common purpose shared.
When you first arrive at The Ark, you’ll walk into The Pour Café, a coffee shop with a laid-back vibe, serving organic free-trade coffee, whose proceeds help fund everything they do. You can purchase a perfect cup of espresso along with a delicious homemade pastry for a quick pick up, or you can stay for lunch and enjoy sandwiches and wraps.
This year, the dynamic in the bunkhouse will shift, just as things have since The Ark was established more than 40 years ago. This summer, about two-thirds of students housed at The Ark are from a Christian fellowship club that decided The Ark’s amenities would be perfect for their faith-building summer program. Liz and Mike are excited to watch God use the combination of Christian students living alongside the mostly Muslim international students. They are praying for and expecting great things.
The transitional housing aspect of The Ark has also evolved over the years. “Right now, the hardest part is the delicate balance between choosing who can stay,” Liz said. Because they aren’t equipped to handle addictions, a thorough screening process is necessary. Mike and Liz want to assist individuals and families to re-group and get their lives back on track within three months.
The criteria for staying in one of the transitional housing rooms is employment, pay rent, and help clean, repair, or use any skills they have to give back to The Ark. Liz and Mike are willing to help someone set up a bank account and acquire ID to encourage independent living.
There are many stories to tell about lives changed because someone took the time to meet a need. One of the Bennetts’ favorite success stories happened a few years back, before the international student housing had been set up. Actually, it was because of this story that The Ark’s safe housing was established.
Liz and her kids met a young man named Sam through the drive-thru of the local McDonalds. She soon discovered that Sam, along with about five other J1 Visa students from Ghana were living in deplorable conditions. Her family took Sam and another student under their wing, fed them, taught them to swim in their pool, and stayed in touch after they returned home. Mike and Liz, appalled at what they discovered, presented the need to their church, and were then able to set up a safe place. As Liz says, “safe housing is one thing we wanted because of trafficking.”
Sam is now a worship leader in Fairfax, Virginia. Furthering God’s kingdom is, many times, about meeting someone’s immediate need, so a door can then be opened to share the Gospel.
Sam’s story is proof that the Ark is a vital ministry to the Panama City Beach community, providing temporary housing to the homeless, safety from human trafficking to the vulnerable, and a place of retreat for those needing some time to renew.
Want to help? You can visit The Ark’s website at: www.thearkpcb.org, find them on Facebook, or stop by The Pour Café located at 12902 Front Beach Road in Panama City Beach.
