Glory Village to Offer Housing for Adults with Developmental Disabilities to Thrive

It is not every day a dream and a tornado intersect, but that’s exactly what happened on Dr. Ben and Becky Leavens’ property near 7th Street and Duquesne Road in Joplin, Missouri.

Two years earlier, while traveling with her husband, Becky prayed for direction about what their next chapter might look like. That night, she had a dream. In it, she saw a village designed for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. There were homes and a community center. When she looked around, she saw people who were thriving.  

She told her husband about it the next morning. Not only did Becky now have a real-life dream to build, she also knew where it should be built, on the property adjacent to their home.  

“I said, this would be perfect,” she recalls. “They could have neighbors. They could walk around and visit people and be safe and have a sense of belonging.”  

At the time, it was a wooded lot, and the work required to bring the village to life felt overwhelming.

Then, just before midnight on May 6, 2024, a tornado hit their property. Trees were uprooted and thrown across the yard. One struck their home and knocked off the chimney. When it was over, every tree on the adjacent property was down. Instead of despair, Becky believed God had cleared the way. Crews removed the debris, the Leavenses fenced the property and building plans moved forward.

Construction on Glory Village is underway. From her window, she watches as crews move dirt and prepare the property for building. The development will include five duplexes and a community center. Each duplex will house four adults, with private bedrooms and bathrooms and shared kitchen and living areas. In total, the village will serve 20 residents. The couple expects construction to be completed by the end of 2026.

The community center will serve as a gathering place for activities, shared meals and weekly worship. SHINE, a faith-based day program, will partner with Glory Village to provide residents with opportunities to work, create and spend time together. The goal is to help residents build self-reliance and support aging parents in planning for the future.  

Becky highlights Glory Village’s connection to Christ’s Community Joplin.  

“Volunteers will run activities, and we’ll have access to church vans for outings,” she says.

Becky is the first to admit this has been a learning process.  

“We've never done a building project. We had zero knowledge. So, we had to ask for a lot of help from different people, and they came through.”  

She says the people in the area have been welcoming, with many individuals and businesses stepping forward to offer guidance and donate services.

What they lack in construction experience, they make up for in heart. Over the years, the couple fostered about 30 children and adopted five. For them, making room for others has always been part of their story.

Becky knows the needs of adults with disabilities firsthand. Her daughter, Michelle, is one of them. While Michelle is thriving with a roommate, the two can feel isolated in their apartment complex. Michelle’s life is full and rewarding, but Becky said that is not the case for everyone in the Joplin area.  

“I know several people who are living in houses by themselves with 24-hour care,” she says. “And that’s not a life.”  

She believes adults with disabilities deserve more than supervision. They deserve socialization and a meaningful life.  

Affordability is another key aspect of the Leavens’ plan. Her goal is to keep rent under $1,000 per person. Similar communities in other states can cost several thousand dollars per month. She hopes Glory Village will offer a local option that keeps families close while allowing residents to have independence.

Becky says more than a dozen individuals have already signed up to move in, even before any formal promotion. She expects the remaining spots to fill and a waitlist to begin as more families learn about the project. She believes families are responding because they want something better for their children.  

“I mean, if you had a child, you'd want the best for them, and that's what this is going to be.”

Glory Village is a nonprofit organization. The project has been privately funded so far. Becky says donations will help complete the community center and support future programming. Individuals and businesses can contribute to help complete the shared gathering space and fund programs for residents.

Becky says she sees a future filled with people who are happy and living with purpose. She hopes Glory Village will be a place where adults with disabilities feel connected and supported. What began as a dream, she believes, will become a community built on belonging.

To learn more about applying to live at Glory Village, making a donation or getting involved, visit www.gloryvillage.life and on X @JesusRocks.