The Bowens: Restoring Christmas Hope to New Orleans

CBN.com Mark Bowen is a bench jeweler in Metarie, Lousiana. In 2004, after only one year on his own, business began to slow down. That’s when the Bowens began to wonder if the drop in sales might be related to their giving. Donalyn suggested they needed to tithe more and give to CBN. 

"I said, 'Sure, let’s do it' and from then, things just started taking off," remembers Donalyn.

Just as business was picking up, Hurricane Katrina hit, sending the Bowens north. Expecting to return home to complete destruction, the surprised couple found their home and their jewelry store had been spared. Soon after they resumed business, they noticed a trend…

"After Katrina everybody got educated and found out that the fleur de lis was the symbol of New Orleans and started buying fleur de lis’s as a sign of rebirth and solidarity," says Donalyn.

Realizing this new significance, Mark created a special Fleur de Lis Christmas Ornament to honor the city. They flew off the shelves! In order to help Katrina victims, Mark and Donalyn decided to give five dollars to Operation Blessing for every ornament they sell.  

"Operation Blessing was down here with the water and the supplies and you know, they’ve never left," says Donalyn.

So in good times—and in the slow times, the Bowen’s have learned about the need to give.

"When things are slow a lot of times, I know we need to approach that in the spiritual sense so we decided we would give a little bit more because the Lord is always faithful, and you can’t out give the Lord," the Donalyn's believe.

Mark and Donalyn found God to be faithful to His word, and when they acted in complete obedience, God poured out His abundant blessing on them. God wants to do that for you, too! When you give to CBN, you will minister through The 700 Club to people who are searching for answers, as well as provide food, clothing, and medical care to those who need a tangible expression of God's love.

Please join with us today!