Would you help me think this through? Ideas, suggestions..

[happyhomemaker25]

Dh and I have a vision for a ministry. Honestly, I think it's one of the reasons we have had to go through 2 years of unemployment and now underemployment. We have a dream of one day owning some land and having enough room to build a few (probably 3-4) cottages. Pretty small cottages 2 bedrooms, maybe one with 3 bedrooms. We would also have our own home there. We would have a small hobby farm as well. Small. We'd love to have a ministry of helping out people who are just having a rough time. Giving them a place to live, a small office to send out resumes and look for jobs, maybe even some job search assistance. DH also wants to repair cars for cheap or free for people who are having a rough go.

Please, don't hear what I'm about to say the wrong way, but it would not really be for homeless people or mentally unstable people. Just families who find themselves unemployed and having a tough time or underemployed and not knowing what the next day holds. I hope that does not sound like I am indifferent to homeless people or mentally unstable people we just see a need for this other ministry.

Honestly, for a few months we were without a job and our unemployment had run out. We had a small adoption subsidy coming in, but we did not qualify for any services outside of food stamps. No cash assistance, not even a break with our electric bill. Even our HOA was coming after us because we could not resod or pay our association dues. We almost lost our home. It was a tough time.

Now, Dh makes very little on a security guard's salary, but because we learned to budget so carefully during unemployment we are doing ok on his small salary.

I know there are so many others in our situation right now. It will be awhile before we are at the place to move forward with this, but I have been researching it and we are saving what little money we can towards it.

Do you think with zoning laws and such this would even be possible? Do you have any other ideas or suggestions? We were thinking we would put a lawyer on retainer to help us with contracts or what not for opening our homes to these people. Kind of a cover your booty type thing. I still have children I need to protect so we would probably even require back ground checks and believe me when I tell you the children would be well supervised.

We might be in a place next year that we can start looking for the land we would need so I am just thinking it all through. With the various backgrounds and life experiences we have here I thought you guys would be a great help!