CAPITOL HILL – As the House of Representatives returns from August recess, lawmakers must prepare themselves for long days, difficult decisions, and tremendous pressure from all sides. But one ministry is designed to help members take a break from all that and get together with other believers.
As Capitol Hill lawmakers work to find common ground in a vastly divided nation, Kimberly Genau and her husband, Randy, have created a place of refuge here known as the Alabaster House.
“We just happened to be on the front lines right there, honestly, hearing from heaven,” said Kimberly.
Since then, they’ve been serving on behalf of Congress in a mission the Genaus have dedicated themselves to for 27 years.
“When they come to Washington, they’re so excited about being elected. You know, the campaign, all the hard work. You know, they kind of take a little breather. But we’re here to also remind them that they do have an actual target on their back now,” said Kimberly.
On the Hill in the late 90s, she sensed a desperate need for those who have been elected to Congress as they’re entering a new world. Here, they had no real community, outlet, or prayer partners when fighting for or against policy.
“There is a constant ask on their lives, time and time again, where they actually, you know, they are never treated as an individual, as an actual human being,” said Kimberly.
The Genaus worked over the years to change that by creating a safe space for members where they could build their faith while strengthening their family.
***Please sign up for CBN Newsletters and download the CBN News app to ensure you keep receiving the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***
While the Alabaster House is not a physical building, Kimberly and her staff provide a variety of services for members and their spouses to ease daily burdens. They range from weekly chapels and drop-in prayer to holiday dinners and even marriage retreats at a lake house.
“That’s a really perfect time for actual spouses to get away, hear from God, and then kind of almost recalibrate,” said Kimberly.
These moments are desperately needed, according to Georgia Representative Barry Loudermilk, who says physical threats against members of Congress are higher than they’ve been in a decade.
“Literally physical stress of being careful walking down the street. People show up at your homes protesting at your offices, and you never know when that First Amendment right that they’re exercising turns violent these days,” said Loudermilk.
The Georgia congressman and his wife, Desiree, lean on the ministry team for its spiritual support, accountability, and true godly friendships.
He says Alabaster House has had a big impact on his home and family.
“Well, it’s been a place to, sometimes you just need to get off Capitol Hill, right? And you need a place where people just, they know you for who you are, not the title that’s with your name,” he said.
Illinois Representative Mike Bost and his wife, Tracy, joined four years ago, looking for fellowship with other believers.
“In Congress, there are a lot of decisions to be made, and there’s a lot of prayer that you need. Not every decision in Congress is a moral one, but your actions have to be moral,” said Bost.
He recalls meaningful moments on the Hill during Alabaster House events.
“We have prayer times, and it is just an opportunity in a very, very stressful place to seek something you don’t normally have. And that’s peace and quiet. Sometimes you’ve got to shut down,” Rep. Bost said.
Those prayers inside of our Nation’s Capitol continue to yield powerful results.
In addition to helping lawmakers, Kimberly felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to stand with her staff in the halls, interceding on the Hill before catastrophic events, including prayer the night before the 9/11 attacks that rocked our nation.
Kimberly recalled, “We started praying for the president at the time, like protection of our country, like all of this wisdom and things like this, and also over the Capitol. And we all know that that airplane was actually scheduled to hit the Capitol instead of those fields in Pennsylvania.”
Where does she see Alabaster House going in the next 10-20 years?
“When they leave and go back to their home state, we also want them supported there, so that Alabaster House ambassador can be making those prayer appointments, just like we are doing here in Washington, DC, in their home state,” she said. “So, we’re actually looking for 535 either pastors or ministry leaders that can come and support and link arms with us in this mission field.”
To sign up to adopt a member of Congress, or to participate in a Capitol Hill missions trip with the Alabaster House, you can visit their website at AlabasterHouse.org.
