Waiting for Stephanie.

God is truly amazing.....
While waiting to pick up our first resident, Stephanie, God was busy working in our midst. We were downtown at the bus station, a place where drugs, crime and other illicit behavior happen all day long. But we were there as servants of the King, and He showed up in a mighty way today. When we went inside the terminal, the security guard "happened" to approach us and would not allow us to record any more inside, due to security concerns. When we told her who we were and what we were doing, she immediately pointed to an elderly lady and her daughter sitting and looking in despair. They were in Houston, no family, and no where to go and the guard said that she couldnt find anyone to help them. Nicholas Thornton and Jackie McKenzie quickly came up with a solution, found a shelter that would receive these ladies immediately and provide shelter, food and assistance, put them in their car and drove them to the shelter, showing the love of Christ to people in need.

After waiting a while longer for Stephanie inside the bus station, we were concerned that we missed her. Nick "happened" to call Ms Peggy from The Woman's Roots, who said that Stephanie would be dropped off on the other side of the bus station. We immediately left the terminal and walked around the corner and as soon as we got there Stephanie "happened" to have been dropped off with a group of women and walking down the street at that exact moment. We met her, introduced ourselves and their "happened" to be walking up behind her and the other ladies released, Beth Whittier, President of Oaks of Righteousness, a Christian ministry for formerly incarcerated females. Beth had heard of Gadara and our work with the Formerly incarcerated, and told us to follow her across the street, down an alley to a small office building that houses some of the Salvation Army administrative workers. In the back room, they had a set up with a change of clothes for Stephanie and the other ladies they were there to pick up. Another lady we "happened" to meet who was released with Stephanie confided with us that she wanted to "get high". After sharing the gospel with her and the power of God to deliver her, I prayed for her and the ladies that had this room set up to minister to the women just released and dropped off at the bus station.

Upon leaving, we took Stephanie to get some soul food, her first meal request. When we went into the restaurant, there "happened" to be some men sitting at at table that "happened" to recognized Nick from speaking at the Forge for Families. They were with the Lazarus Project, helping ex prisoners escape the prison cycle (sound familiar?) and gave us resources that provide support, clothing, shoes, communication tools, employment and housing assistance, some of which Stephanie will be in need of.

All these things just "happened" today......God is truly amazing!

Stephanie comes home!

We have some exciting news, our sister Stephanie has been released and is home now residing at the Gadara Ministry House, aka "The City". Executive Director Nicholas Thornton, Mentor Jackie McKenzie, and Resident Manager Lori Whitlock here give her a tour of City of Refuge, where she will fellowship with Christians who will love her, accept her, nuture her, and walk alongside her in her journey to be transformed to the point of no return.....please be in prayer for Stephanie.
Stay tuned for Stephanie's story.....