Doulos Spotlight: Jeff and Colleen Loftsgaarden
Our partners play a crucial role in carrying out our mission. They’re not just investing in a school or a ministry; they’re investing in change-makers for Jesus. Sometimes we may think that partnerships only benefit the ministry receiving support, but as Jeff and Colleen Loftsgaarden will tell you, being a partner changes the lives of everyone involved.
Jeff and Colleen Loftsgaarden are longtime partners of Doulos. They’ve been with us since the very beginning when Doulos was just an idea that started around a campfire with Chad and Krista Wallace, the founders of Doulos. That idea has turned into a lifelong investment for Jeff and Colleen, and has impacted many lives for the sake of the Gospel.
We sat down and spoke with the Loftsgaardens about what their partnership has meant to them and how it has evolved over the years. When talking about their partnership, they say one of the most rewarding things as a longtime partner is the ability to witness the development of Doulos throughout the years. When Jeff and Colleen jumped onboard with Chad and Krista’s vision, the campus consisted of a simple, vacant building. Since then, they’ve watched it grow to become an impressive campus with multiple buildings, soccer fields, a basketball court, an amphitheater, a garden, and hundreds of students. They’ve seen both the campus and the student body continually grow, and Colleen mentions she loves seeing the graduating senior class increase every year.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always…” Matthew 28:19-20
Partnerships with Doulos can look differently and evolve over time. The Loftsgaarden’s partnership has done just that. Originally they supported the physical labor and construction of the campus and they now support Doulos financially. They’ve supported our students in their education, our Service Learning Teams, and now our staff. Jeff co-owns Spirit Mountain Coffee Plantation and provides unlimited Dominican coffee to our staff, which is a necessity we all greatly appreciate.
According to Jeff, it’s easy for he and Colleen to support a school with a “tremendous vision and a committed staff.” Knowing half of Doulos’ students are in our sponsorship program and the staff is dedicated and willing to raise their own support makes it easy to give. They believe in using what God has blessed them with to bless others, and in return “it’s changed [their] lives and it’s changed [their] church.”
Jeff and Colleen’s partnership reaches far beyond Doulos and the community of Jarabacoa. Their home church has been consistently involved in what’s going on at Doulos by sending down Service Learning Teams every year. Jeff says he’s seen the trips change the lives of many team members.
Their hope moving forward in their partnership is to continue supporting Doulos and make trips down to Doulos every year to continue serving and to see the continued growth of Doulos. They say they’ll be partners forever and we couldn’t be more grateful for their dedication and generosity.
We are blessed to count them on our ministry team, and honored to call them friends.
