The Holman Property was owned by Dr. Nellie Holman and her husband, Lincoln from 1948 to 1978. They had been in China, she as a medical missionary and he as a civil engineer.
When Mao came into power, they had to leave. The day they purchased the property, they knelt by the big oak tree and dedicated the land to the Lord. Nellie’s heart was always for the poor and needy. During her lifetime, she and Lincoln added on to the little cottage that was originally built by ex-slaves, whose descendants now live close by in the neighborhood. After Lincoln died, Nellie continued to reach out to the community in any way she could.
Towards the end of her life, Nellie began asking the Lord who should have the property after she was gone. She chose Jamie Buckingham, Senior Pastor of The Tabernacle Church of Melbourne. He promised Nellie that the church would never sell the land, but pass it on to those who would continue to do God’s work. Through a series of wonderful miraculous connections, Saint Stephen’s Way now owns The Holman Property and will continue the vision that Dr. Nellie had to help those in need.
