WARSAW — After a devastating fire destroyed Isaiah 11 Ministry’s facility at 6256 W. CR 100N, Warsaw, the counseling center is desperately trying to rebuild while simultaneously dealing with the impending loss of co-founder Ron Ozier. Ron is on hospice with an aortic aneurysm, stage five kidney disease and dementia.

“We just take it day by day, hour by hour,” said Linda Ozier, Ron’s wife and fellow Isaiah 11 co-founder.

The past several days have been good ones for Ron. Linda wanted Ron’s 77th birthday on Oct. 12 to be a special one, celebrating with kids the ministry counsels on Tuesday, Oct. 10, during a weekly group meeting. The small event gave the kids the opportunity to make peace with the loss.

To honor Ron for his years of service in the US Coast Guard, the kids stood in a flag line while Ron received a Patriot Guard salute. To add some fun to the somber day, the kids then played paint the tail on the live donkey.

Since the fire on May 7 that destroyed Isaiah 11’s counseling building, the weekly group meetings have been held outside. With winter fast approaching and the weather turning cold, those outside sessions won’t be able to last much longer.

“God will provide what we need,” said Linda, “and up until now he has provided everything we need: hay, dog food, cat food, books, supplies. But now we need a building.”

Linda states that she has her eye on a few options. “Bare bones, we can get a kit – roof, four walls and doors – that we will build ourselves for $5,000,” said Linda, but the option isn’t her first choice. The shell of a building, which would be placed where the garage once stood, leaves quite a bit to be desired. With no option for counseling rooms, office space or storage, the building would only provide the bare minimum.

Another option is a pre-made shed roughly 40 feet by 25 feet in dimension. At double the price, the option offers more space, a homelier feel with a porch and will be delivered already assembled.

“Ideally we’d like to get back where we were before the fire,” said Linda. Currently the ministry has been able to only raise $2,000 of the minimum $5,000 needed to provide just basic shelter to be able to continue weekly groups through the winter months.

Linda hosts two groups per week and also offers one-on-one counseling, parent/child counseling and marriage counseling. Linda, who is a mental health therapist and teacher, also works to tutor kids and to provide child advocacy in local schools. She is known locally for using animals as therapy, especially with kids, and Isaiah 11 also operates as an animal rescue. Several therapy animals perished in the May fire.

If you are interested in donating, contact Linda at (574) 549-8071. More contact information can be found on Isaiah 11’s website and Facebook.