CRESTVIEW — With area breakfasters' support, local missionaries now serving in Kenya are closer to buying a much needed van for their orphanage ministry.
While patrons last week indulged in breakfast sandwiches with oversized buttermilk biscuits, pancakes and waffles, $2,600 was raised for Ryan and Beka Boonstra’s mission.
Supporters turned out early to celebrate the Jan. 21 introduction of The Wild Olive’s breakfast menu and its Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting.
The McDuffie family, the restaurant's owners, are known for their faith-based generosity and willingly turned the unveiling of Chef Joseph McDuffie’s breakfast menu into a fundraiser for the Boonstra mission.
“We even had people donating money throughout the week,” restaurant host Michael McDuffie said.
The Boonstra Kenya Ministry operates orphanages in rural areas of the east African country near the capitol, Nairobi. They need to raise $9,000 for the van, Michael said.
“They are trying to purchase a larger vehicle since they have to transport themselves and their children across many miles,” Wild Olive co-owner Mike McDuffie said.
Chef Joe and his wife, Rachel, visited the Boonstra mission during the summer of 2014 and returned touched by the “great works” they witnessed, Michael, Joseph’s older brother, said.
Joseph McDuffie said he and his wife were amazed at how the Boonstras can stretch limited resources to serve the children with programs including church camps.
“It’s cool to see how just a little amount of resources go a long way,” he said. “What’s a little amount to us, they make go a long, long way.”
WANT TO HELP?
Residents wishing to donate to the Boonstra Kenya Ministry may bring monetary gifts to The Wild Olive during regular breakfast, lunch and dinner hours, 797 Pearl St. N., 682-4455. One hundred percent of money raised goes directly to the orphanage ministry.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Restaurant's breakfast menu debut raises $2,600 for mission