We recently celebrated Phase I graduation for 5 ladies in the Charis House. This week and next week, we will read a little about their testimonies. *Names have been changed to protect their identities and allow our clients the fresh start they are seeking.

Women who enter the Charis House commit to a minimum of one year for Phase I of the program. They live under strict guidelines and are held to high standards of conduct and behavior as they work through their substance abuse addictions as well as the traumas and emotional issues of the lifestyles that led them to the Charis House. After a minimum of one year of Christ-centered counseling and Bible-based classes on life skill development -- all while being monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by a House Manager -- the women are reevaluated. If they have met the standards of the Charis House and shown growth and stability, they graduate from Phase I and are invited to go into Phase II of the program.

Naomi*

“I was in active addiction for over 18 years. I was addicted to opiates, they were my drug of choice. It started out as being cool, trying to fit in with my older brother, but then that choice became a lifestyle. I couldn’t go 4 hours without getting sick – like violently ill – if I didn’t have the drug. Everything I did revolved around getting the drug – getting the money to get the drug – I would steal, I would manipulate people, I would do any and everything in order to get the money to go get the drug. And I never quit thinking about it. It didn’t matter how much I had or how little I had. It was all about ways – what’s my next play – what am I going to do next – where am I going to get this and how am I going to get it.

“I just vanished from being a mom. I was a stay at home mom who loved her children and did everything for them. And I just vanished off the face of the earth. They didn’t know if I was alive or if I was dead. I had no hope. I knew I was going to die a drug addict and I had zero hope of ever being a normal, functioning human being.

“I got arrested just like most drug addicts do, and I ended up leaving to go to rehab in Alabama. There were drugs there, and I wasn’t strong enough – I didn’t have the tools to know what to do, how to survive, in an environment where I didn’t want to do drugs, but wasn’t strong enough to say no. So I ended up running from there for about 2 weeks and my mom came and got me. One of the girls from there knew about the Charis House because she had gone through it, so my mom just brought me here.

“We didn’t have an appointment, I didn’t have an interview. I just showed up on the front porch of the Charis House and it has literally given me hope. The amount of love that people around us in this church give us is insane to me. I’ve never experienced such a genuine love from people I don’t even know. The Charis House brought me hope. That’s where I met God. I had no clue the amount of love – He changed me completely. I am nowhere near the same person I used to be.

“He changed my heart and I’m grateful for that.”

Leah*

“I have been in my addiction for over 40 years. There have been periods of sobriety – they never lasted. The last time was in 2017. I was sober for 5 years, and then my husband – who was my support system – passed away. When you lose that support system, and you’re kind of floundering around, not knowing what to do – you go back to what you know. And that’s self-destruction. And  unfortunately I’ve been doing that for a long time, and I’ve gotten very good at it.

“My whole life, I’ve done nothing but exist. It was just existing – I wasn’t living life. I had no purpose. I had no direction. I had nothing. So, I just got up and did what I had to do, and I went back and drank until I went to sleep. And now I can say that when I get up in the morning, I have purpose. I have a reason to get up. And I’m happy. And I have hope. And I know God has great plans for me. I might’ve been going through some bad years, but in all honesty, God was with me. God brought me through those years. He never left me. Although sometimes, I felt like He did. But He never did, and now I can see this is where He wanted me to be. This is where my life is just beginning. A whole new life that I can say I’m looking forward to.

“He is what I’m living for. He is…everything I do, I do for the Lord.”

Lacy*

“At age 13, I started using drugs to fit in and be cool. Then it became a way for me to escape reality. And I ended up falling in love with it – for real, for real.

“I’ve been in and out of jail since I was 19 years old. This last time, I had 7 or 8 felony cases stacked up against me. I was in jail, got into a fight, and was thrown into a lockdown cell with nothing but a Bible, my mat and my blanket. I started in Genesis, and in 10 days I was halfway through the Old Testament. It was Joseph’s story that really broke me down. Where the Holy Spirit came on me. Where everything that the devil meant for evil, God turned it around for good for Joseph. I kept reading the Bible. It put a hunger in my spirit.

“I got through reading the Bible and a week later, a visitation popped up on my screen from a girl I hadn’t spoken to in 2 ½ years. She had been through the Charis House program and she told me she wanted to offer me the same opportunity that she had. I just thought, let’s go with it. That’s how the door opened for me to come to the Charis House. Since I’ve been here, I’ve restored relationships with my family. My family didn’t go to church growing up. The Lord was not in our family at all. Now my mom and my kids attend church regularly every week.

“I just love Jesus.”

Graduating from Phase I and moving into Phase II presents these ladies with opportunities to continue working on developing confidence and faith. During Phase II, the women enjoy a bit more freedom from the strict regimen they followed during Phase I, but many things stay consistent. They must still attend church classes and Most Excellent Way meetings each week, but they can enroll in school, and pursue jobs. Clients in Phase II are still part of the Charis House family, eating meals together with the Phase I ladies, continuing counseling with the Charis House therapist, and living without transportation. Since Phase II women are not permitted to have a cell phone or their own vehicle, a House Manager or Charis House volunteer must drive each woman to school or work. Phase II typically lasts around one year.

Next week, we’ll hear from 2 other recent Phase I graduates about how the Charis House helped them find hope and a future.

 ·      The Charis House is a non-profit Christian-based residential substance abuse recovery program for females. The program is designed in 3 phases, each offering stages of recovery that provide the necessary tools for a practical transition into a new lifestyle free of addiction. The faith-based recovery program addresses the client’s personal relationship with God as the foundation for healing and wholeness. It requires a willingness to change and adhere to a controlled, strict and disciplined environment, allowing life-changing experiences to occur. There is no fee to apply.  

·      To learn more about the Charis House, or how you can support our programs, click here or contact Vanessa Bettis at 850-475-1116  or VBettis@MinistryVillage.org.

·      The mission of Ministry Village at Olive is to put the words of Jesus into action throughout our community – “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:40, NIV) If you are looking for a place to demonstrate kindness to others for the glory of God, give us a call. We have opportunities through the Bargain Center; at our Tender Hearts Caring Hands benevolence program and food pantry; through the Most Excellent Way addiction support groups; at the Charis House; and at the Ministry Village Early Learning Center.

·      If you would like to volunteer to support the Charis House, contact our office at (850) 473-4466 or visit Ministryvillage.org/volunteer-registration. All volunteers through Ministry Village at Olive, Inc. must be properly interviewed and screened. Depending on the program and position, volunteers must also undergo background screening and be properly trained by MVO staff. While we are deeply appreciative for any and all support, it is our primary responsibility to those we serve to protect them and their privacy, and we do not take that responsibility lightly. Those interested in serving through MVO should contact the appropriate program manager to discuss opportunities and the necessary requirements. We appreciate your understanding.

·      To donate to the Charis House or any Ministry Village program, click here.