The Haugen Family

If there was ever a family more deserving of love and support, it's the Haugen Family and I'd like to give you some insight into the hardships they have faced. Their greatest afflictions have been: losses via infertility, the loss of their home and all possessions in a fire, and now ultimately, the loss of their provider, Jesse.

Jesse and Bethany were married in 2009 and when they felt ready to be parents, they tried for several years and were finally blessed with their son Isaac, an absolute answer to prayers. For the past 8+ years, they have attempted to give him a sibling via many doctors, tests, medications, and even costly IVF. All of this has left them with multiple miscarriages and embryos that didn't survive. Knowing that Isaac wanted a sibling and they felt a calling to raise children, they also began the long process of adoption; a process that would be halted due to their next great hardship.

In 2021, they sold their home and bought a lot in Cambridge to pursue their dreams of building their forever home as well as a barn with a suite to house family or friends. They built the barn first and the extra suite upstairs, which would be where they lived during the long process of construction. One night, in the summer of 2023, the barn was nearly complete and some welding was being done for the A/C to be installed the following day. The insulation caught fire and with one giant whoosh within the walls, the entire barn went up in flames and immediately began to fill with black smoke. Isaac was asleep upstairs. Bethany found her way to him and dragged him to the stairs where Jesse met her and they all ran out, as flames completely engulfed the upstairs floor above them and the walls around them. Everything they owned was housed in that barn and long story short, homeowners' insurance was not a factor. Among the ashes, a Bible was found that somehow did not burn.

In May of this year, Jesse was on a camping trip to the BWCA with his brother-in-law and 3 other friends. While 4 of the men were fishing in 2 canoes near Curtain Falls, a spot known for catching the best fish, the circumstances around them changed and it was simply no match for their canoes. They attempted to assist each other as one after another, the canoes capsized, and the men were washed down the falls. After almost 2 weeks of search & rescue and a family and community praying continually, Jesse's body was found. This was not the rescue outcome we had hoped for, but it is worth noting that this was still a rescue. Jesus rescued Jesse from hell by dying on the cross for him. Jesse then accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior and followed Him with his whole life and heart. Why was Jesse so loved? Because he loved everyone as Christ loves us.

A little more about Jesse: he was born on March 1, 1983, in Fridley, MN to Maxine and Danny Haugen. He graduated from Blaine High School with the class of 2001. After graduation, Jesse joined the US Army Infantry Division proudly serving in Kuwait, Kosovo, and Iraq. He owned and operated Rock Solid Plumbing which he started with his wife in 2011. He also helped Bethany open her dream store: Thistle & Ivory in Cambridge. Jesse enjoyed fishing, hunting, running, BMX racing, and spending time with his wife and son. As a man of great faith, he graciously served his community and was an active youth leader at his church in Ham Lake, MN for over 15 years.

This family has experienced enough pain and loss. Would you join us in monetarily providing for them for as long as possible? If you can spare $20 toward their next meal, $50 toward filling up their car with gas, $100 toward their next grocery bill, would you do so? If you can offer $1,000 toward their next mortgage payment, $6,000 to keep Isaac at his Christian private school an extra year, $30,000 toward their dream of building this family via adoption or otherwise, would you do so?

"Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you." James 1:27