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Second Addition by Frances M. McCrory-Meservy May 1994
The owner of two manufactured home dealerships called me in March 1994. She said they had purchased the land between Cottonwood Grove and James Place and she wanted to know if I would agree to manage it for her. I told her I would have to talk to my boss and see if it was OK with him.
I talked to Jim and he had no problem with me working for Second Addition as well as Cottonwood Grove. I called Marilyn and she offered me whatever Jim was paying me. I told her my salary and she cringed - I was the highest paid manager in Wichita; but I had a really good reputation and she agreed to pay it.
The construction began in May and I started leasing lots. I leased the lots faster than they could build them. Marilyn was offering one year's rent to each person who purchased a home from her - I just had to talk them into living in Second Addition. Each time I leased a lot I got on years pay (a percentage of one years rent) for that lot in lump sum. Since it took a year to get all the lots built, I had a really good pay check each month. By the time the last one's lease ran out, I was collecting month to month on everyone.
A couple of the families wanted to live in Cottonwood Grove instead. Marilyn had no problem with that - she was having trouble building the lots fast enough anyway. These two couples were going to purchase the house anyway; but was willing to forgo the year's free rent to go on a waiting list to live in Cottonwood Grove. The first one on the list only had to wait 3 months; but the second one had to wait a year for a lot to come open. They ordered their homes and took delivery when the lots were available. They did not want to wait for SA to develop into as good a community as CWG.
One day I was showing a couple a lot and there was a home moving out a couple of lots down in CWG. At the same time three new homes arrived to go on 3 lots in Second Addition and one arrived for CWG. There was about to be gridlock on 44th street. These semis have to make wide turns and were in each others way. I excused myself and directed traffic for about 20 minutes. Everyone ended up where they belonged. The couple leased the lot and things went back to normal.
God moved people in and I followed his lead in ministering to the new community. Someone donated a piano and Midway Baptist helped by starting a Children's ministry in the clubhouse for both communities.
Our two communities were filled with a psychiatrist, parole officer, community police officer, police detective, a dentist, family doctor, nurses, cashiers, mechanics, aircraft workers, electricians, plumbers, handymen, factory workers, lawyers, a judge and many more. Everyone from blue collar to white collar became a community that watched out for each other and got along well. No one knew what everyone did - they just knew they were neighbors.
When I retired, CWG and SA had no vacancies. They were always full and had waiting lists so that even though a home moved out there was one waiting to move in. God is so good - he helps you do whatever he wants you to do.
When you are managing a community, you know what people need. I had a lot of contacts so that whatever people needed I was able to put them in touch with someone or an agency that could help them.
If a house was abandoned, the banks would ask me to dispose of whatever was in the house for them. I always knew who needed what and would call them. All they had to do was take it home with them. Whatever was left, I found someone to clean out the house and the bank would pay them. Then I would help the banks sell the homes.
I never asked a bank to pay me for anything; but when I helped Bank of America they always sent me a check with a thank you note.
People respond to the Gospel if you show up with a prayer and full hands. Sometimes those full hands was just a listening ear. Different people had differing needs.
Mat 25:34-40 "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 'for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 'I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 'When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 'Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' "And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'
Acts 26:16 'But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you.
Rom 15:27 It pleased them indeed, and they are their debtors. For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things.
Eph 3:7 of which I became a minister according to the gift of the grace of God given to me by the effective working of His power.
Col 1:21-23 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight; if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister.
1 Tim 4:1-6 Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.