Mustard Seed Street Ministry pioneer moves on
CALGARY, AB - For Pat Nixon, leaving Calgary's Mustard Seed Street Ministry, which he founded 26 years ago, was “like losing a child."
At the end of last year the Mustard Seed board of directors announced that Nixon, then CEO, was stepping down from the organization.
Nixon explained the mutual decision was made based on changes both with him and the board, and was finalized in October 2010.
Nixon first showed up on Calgary's streets as a 15-year-old panhandler with a Grade 7 education. He was taken in by members of a local church, and grew into the role of the Mustard Seed's visionary and leader, turning it into an $18 million-a-year ministry.
In a personal interview in January, the Order of Canada recipient said, “God has done the miracles. He took a street kid who was scared to speak to anybody and He chose to work through him."
With different opportunities now in the offing, Nixon said, “It's very hard for me to walk away from that which I know and love, on the other hand, it's pretty exciting too."
Although he's reluctant to jump into anything new too quickly, Nixon says he will be working towards some national, street level initiatives. Ultimately, he wants to do what he loves. Seeing the churches in Calgary become mobilized was his “mountain peak experience."
Watching hundreds of people from diverse denominations step out of their pews to meet the needs of the homeless is “where I find my thrill," Nixon said. “I believe that right now I have an opportunity to spread that out."
But Nixon is also eager to get involved in other local initiatives that work with the poor and homeless including the Calgary Dream Centre.
Jim Moore, executive director of the Dream Centre, said, “Pat is a remarkable man, his passion for the homeless is contagious."
This passion can be seen in the legacy Nixon has left through the Mustard Seed.
Thousands of lives have been transformed through this ministry that started in Calgary and branched off to Edmonton and Sundre. In 2010, more than 440,000 homeless were fed through Calgary's Mustard Seed alone. But Nixon's goal was never to just “hand out a sandwich." His innovative ideas now provide opportunities for the homeless to upgrade their education, get skills training and apply for jobs in the community or at the Mustard Seed.
With Nixon's wife and six sons all involved in the Mustard Seed over the years, his family modeled this approach. Street people were often invited to Nixon's home for a meal and many a night saw one or more of his sons giving up their bed for the homeless.
“My greatest legacy is my family," Nixon said. “When we sit around this living room... we talk about how we can serve God."
As Nixon moves on to new challenges he said, “I'm looking for another miracle and if I can be a part of it, I'm a fortunate guy because I've already been a part of some big ones."
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