The Road to Success

When Jesse Souder’s attorney dropped him at Hope Ministries’ Bethel Mission, Jesse thought it would be one more stop in a long line of institutional settings he’d experienced in his brief life. Bethel Mission meant nothing more than a bed, a meal and a shower before he headed for the next group home or prison cell.

But this place was different! The people were friendly and eager to help. They believed Jesse could be successful. And they taught him that, despite his mental challenges and past mistakes, God loved him and wanted to bless him, too.

Jesse moved on to The Door and joined the STAR recovery program. At first the guys weren’t sure what to do with this 20-year-old who sometimes acted like a child. “I couldn’t see where Jesse was going,” says Walt, a resident at The Door. “He seemed to need more help than The Door could provide. Now I see it was just what he needed.”

Walt, Murry and other residents became big brothers to Jesse and marveled at the joy he found in the simplest activities. Doing his own laundry, going to church and helping in the kitchen were new experiences that brought light to his eyes.

“He’s taught me to appreciate the little things we take for granted every day,” Murry says. “And once you’re around him you see how smart he is.”

Jesse appreciates his “big brothers,” too! “They share their knowledge and time with me. They give me attention and take me places like the park and the mall.”

Jesse is cautious about living on his own some day. “I want to live my life without getting hurt. What if something happens to me?” After a brief pause, he answers his own question: “God will take care of me.”

Believing God cares represents a big step for Jesse. “I didn’t believe in Him because my life was so miserable,” he says. “I didn’t like the way He created me. But I want to comment that there is hope for everybody. God helps everybody in the world.”

On the road ahead, Jesse will continue to navigate plenty of bumps and potholes, but now he knows he’s got friends — brothers in Christ — to help him along the way.