I have known Val and John Norton for over 30 years.  I first met them at college.  We attended the same church and John and Val worked with the youth in Mt. Hope West Virginia.  This was a "baptism by fire" for them because they have never had the chance to work with teens from such dire circumstances.  They saw teens abused by their parents and relatives in multiple ways.  Mt. Hope was a small mountain town in the hills of West Virginia.  Mt. Hope Church was a store front church that had all sorts of people attending it.  As newly weds and barely out of their teenage years themselves this was a totally new experience.

Later, I moved to Michigan and they were my best friends.  My husband (John) and I constantly did things with them.  My husband and John built homes together and helped each other.  Val and John were used mightily by God in my life.  Val showed me what a true friend was that sticks closer than a brother.  John and Val were honorary Aunt and Uncle to my kids and if anything had happened to my husband and I we wanted them to raise our children.  Even though it looked like God was not going to bless them with children they had a heart and love for teenagers and always had them in their house.  Val did not let her lack [of] children stop her from loving on her friends children.  She was always willing to help.  When each of my kids started kindergarten I made my way to her house to cry from seeing them go to school for the first time.

I have 3 daughters and a son.  My one daughter Amanda would not stay with anyone else [but] Val as a small child.  She would cry the whole time I was gone and Val would carry her and play with her to help her.  Over the years as my children grew up they were involved in the youth group John and Val had at our church.  Val did not hold any punches with my children and would confront them of wrong doing.  The girls never understood how Val knew of their issues but she did.  When my husband left me unexpectedly (it was a surprise to everyone in the families as well as among our friends) they were there for my children to nurture them and help them.  My children were 18, 16, 10 and 8 at the time.  Val (being a child of divorce herself as a young child) had a wonderful understanding of what my children were going through.  Because I was so devastated she was there to help them when I could not.  She was a constant source of encouragement.  My two oldest children have now returned to God and Val is still active in their lives encouraging them to follow God.  They look at John as a second Dad and seek his advice.  He is always there with a kind word and a hug for my children.  He has given me wonderful advice over the years. 

 All 4 of my children have been involved in youth groups that John and Val operated and we went to church where they were just so they could be involved with the youth group.  I knew my children were safe with them and John and Val loved them and would always be there for them.  I cannot express my gratitude to God for their ministry in my life and my children lives.  I wish I had the words to say how much they mean to me.  I love them both and support them whole heartedly in their work with the House of Hope.  The children of Southwest Michigan need a place of hope and someone to care for them and I could not think of a better couple than John and Val.