Christmas Ministry Spotlight: Second Mile Development
Bill McDowell is the founder and Executive Director of Second Mile Development, Inc., in Huntsville. He and his wife, Mary, have two children and four wonderful grandchildren. Our City on A Hill staff recently had the opportunity to connect with Bill and to learn a little more about Second Mile’s ministry focus and its work in the Terry Heights and Hillendale Neighborhoods of Huntsville.
Please tell us about your non-profit.
Begun in 1986, Second Mile Development, Inc. desires to empower the community so that the hopeless can find hope, children can find love and laughter, young men and women can look to the future with pride and eager anticipation rather than with fear and dread, and men and women of all ages can discover the depth and the breadth of Christ’s love.
The ultimate dream of Second Mile is to bring about reconciliation among all people — the rich and the poor, the educated and the uneducated, the fortunate and the less fortunate.
Second Mile serves the Terry Heights/Hillendale community and beyond through the following programs: Pride for Parents, The Neighborhood Thrift Store, Second Mile Preschool, Parent Initiative, The Terry Heights and Hillendale Neighborhood Organization, and The Neighborhood Baby Thrift Store. Parent Initiative also serves over 1,200 schools through its Parent Parties Program throughout the United States.
What motivates you to do what you do?
I want to love God with all my heart and to love my neighbor. Of the two, I have found it easier to learn to love God. He made it possible for me to be one of His children through the wonderful gift of His Son. It is the next part that is the challenge: how to be a good neighbor and how to give effectively.
After forty years of serving, I have found that giving effectively is the largest challenge. My friend Bob Lupton has found this to be true. In his recent book, Charity Detox, he describes the results of ineffective giving:
“Heart-responses produce distinctly different behavior patterns than heart-changes. Continued heart-responses yield diminishing returns: Feed a person once, it elicits appreciation. Feed him twice, it creates anticipation. Feed him three times, it creates expectation. Feed him four times, it becomes an entitlement. Feed him five times, it produces dependency.”
My motivation is the develop heart-changing responses, to help a person find new motivation to change; to change as a result of Christ’s love and not because of items that a person might receive. My quest is to create opportunity.
Second Mile Development accomplishes its goals through the opportunities in our programs. Our programs are based on three guiding principles.
1. We are relational, which means that we feel that change takes place through programs based on relationships.
2. We do not give anything away. We always charge something, no matter how small.
3. We only do what the community wants us to do and resist doing things that we would deem as “fixes”.
What is one verse that has been significant in your ministry and why?
“And if one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” Matthew 5:41
It is our belief that all ministry takes place in the second mile. The second mile is going beyond what is expected. The second mile creates the opportunity to share the great news of Jesus Christ. It is in the second mile that you win the right to be heard.
What is one of your most memorable God moments in this city?
After spending a few years in the neighborhood, I had one friend come and ask what I thought of the way he and his girlfriend lived. They were like lots of people, living together to afford their rent and make ends meet. I shared my views that I believed that if they could not commit to one another to get married that I held little hope for their relationship. He left and I thought that friendship might end.
Several weeks later, they both showed up at my office and invited me to accompany them to the courthouse to get married. It was an honor for me to witness this great event. After our return, the Second Mile staff gave them a reception at our office. We invited all their family and friends. We bought a wedding cake, took pictures and had another ceremony in the presence of everyone. Our little building was packed with people.
Fast forward twenty years and Jackie and Curtis are back in my office, this time to ask me if I would be Curtis’ best man. They wanted to renew their vows in a formal ceremony, this time with all the wedding trimmings.
All I can say is, God was praised.
How can we help you and the people you serve this holiday season?
The first way to help is to thank God for 29 years of Second Mile. We are looking forward to our 30th Anniversary of serving. The second way to help would be to coming to see the community of Terry Heights and becoming involved with the Second Mile. The third way to help is by giving to Second Mile by going to www.secondmile.net.
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