Rodney's Story

“I Came for a Meal . . . and Got So Much More!”

Rodney had been through 11 treatment centers in 20 years before he came to Hope Ministries’ Bethel Mission facility six years ago—homeless, hungry and hopeless. But that day, he surrendered his life to Christ, and never looked back.

“I was drinking by the time I was 16,” Rodney recalls. “Alcohol was my drug.” His drinking continued throughout his service in the military. While stationed in Germany, he got married and had a son. Rodney’s wife refused to return to the states with their little boy, because of Rodney’s alcohol abuse. But that didn’t damper his addiction.

I sold whatever I could so I could drink. I ended up losing my apartment, my furniture, my car. I didn’t know, when I popped that first top, that it would end up this way.”

Rodney went through stretches of sobriety that would last two or three years. “You can take the alcohol away from the alcoholic, but he’s still an alcoholic without the booze. I’d say to myself, ‘I still feel rotten, what’s the deal?’” Then he would begin drinking again. “The deal was, I was empty—emotionally and spiritually bankrupt.”

One night he ended up on the 7th floor of a Des Moines hotel, ready to jump and end his life. “But I ended up at Hope Ministries’ Bethel Mission facility instead—and praise God, I did!”

First, we gave Rodney a good meal, made possible—as are all our programs and services—by the contributions of friends and partners who share our passion for helping those who are homeless, poor and struggling to overcome life’s challenges.

Rodney went through stretches of sobriety that would last two or three years. “You can take the alcohol away from the alcoholic, but he’s still an alcoholic without the booze. I’d say to myself, ‘I still feel rotten, what’s the deal?’” Then he would begin drinking again. “The deal was, I was empty—emotionally and spiritually bankrupt.”

One night he ended up on the 7th floor of a Des Moines hotel, ready to jump and end his life. “But I ended up at Hope Ministries’ Bethel Mission facility instead—and praise God, I did!”

First, we gave Rodney a good meal, made possible—as are all our programs and services—by the contributions of friends and partners who share our passion for helping those who are homeless, poor and struggling to overcome life’s challenges.

“I’ve Been So Richly Blessed!”

“Hope Ministries treated me with dignity,” Rodney shares. “They gave me food and coffee. They washed what few clothes I had and gave me some more.” Rodney spent 30 days at our Bethel Mission facility and then completed our 12-month Journey of Hope Christ-centered recovery program at our Door of Faith facility. He traded his dependence on alcohol for reliance on the Lord, and we provided the life- and job-skills training necessary to make permanent changes in his behavior and build a bright future.

“And now—it’s six year later and the most awesome things have happened. I’ve been so richly blessed!” Rodney exclaims, amazed at what God has done with his life. Rodney works at Hope Bargain and Community Outreach Center as a production and warehouse assistant. As he takes in and organizes donations of clothing, household items and other goods for sale or distribution to the poor, he says he enjoys meeting the people who support Hope Ministries “so I could change my life.”

He also feels privileged to share his life experiences with youth and church groups who come to Hope Ministries to perform volunteer work tasks and with other men at our Bethel Mission and Door of Faith facilities who are feeling hopeless as he once was.

“I often see the same groups who’ve been here a year or so ago, and I give them an update on my life.” Today, he’s excited to tell them that he’s made contact with the son he left in Germany back in 1986. They found each other on Facebook and communicate daily. Rodney is also in the process of buying a house of his own—his first permanent home ever. “It’s a God thing—only God can do these things,” he says with joy!

Rodney’s right. Only God can change lives, and He does it with your help. Will you be the one to help provide a meal and support for a hungry and homeless person today? Often one plate of food can be the first step to a new life like it was for Rodney six years ago.