Last week I was asked some very good questions about the Transition House ministry. It reminded me that while our staff may be very familiar with the ministry, most of the church family only knows that we have it, but not much else about it. So for the next few weeks I will write a series of articles explaining what we do.
Let’s start with the basics: HOW DID WE BEGIN THE TRANSITION HOUSE MISSION AND MINISTRY? I was in a meeting with community leaders when the need was presented. Housing for women with infants is one of the biggest unmet needs in Charleston. When they complete their time at the Charleston Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center, they have nowhere to go. For addicts, we must change “ our playgrounds and our playmates”. In other words, it is difficult to go right back to the same people and places where you 0perfected your addiction. At the time I heard this, the Parker House was open and available. The house was in much need of repair…but it seemed like a no-brainer. There is a great need and we have a great resource. It also helped that we have one of the strongest Celebrate Recovery Ministries in Charleston. Our church family is also particularly gifted at accepting and loving those who can be a challenge to love and accept. I say that with all sincerity. Not every church would be so accepting of those with so many challenges.
Our friend, Marsha Cline, moved from Indianapolis to Charleston to help us get the house up and running and to help us with our first residents. She served as the house mom for a while. She did a fantastic job in getting the house open and up and running. We quickly learned that to have a house mom running the house was not a viable option. House moms work on a much larger scale, but not in a 3 room situation. The Transition House cannot be compared to larger ministries with funding, grants and multiple housing properties with full time staff to run it. We are a little mom and pop ministry setting out on a bold adventure. While JIBC pays the mortgage, it was my goal to have the house be basically self-sustaining…preparing these women to “transition”. As far as I know and have been told by the Charleston Center, we are the only ministry in town doing this type of work.
HOW IS IT WORKING? What is our success rate? As I like to say, we are 100% successful in both of our goals. Goal number one is to give these women and their babies the opportunity to transition. They truly have a golden opportunity to make a change. Second, we are 100% successful in providing them with the help they need to transition. We provide a Christ Centered 12 Step program, Bible Study, Worship, the Gospel, friendship, leadership, support, etc. They themselves must provide the motivation and the work. Rule of recovery: if we want it more than they do, it will not work. Now, the answer that some of you were looking for: most of them will and do relapse into the reoccurrence of their disease and addiction. Not all, but many, if not most. Just remember, they are not addicted to the more mundane sins like gossip, being judgmental or cynicism. These ladies are addicted to crack, cocaine, meth, opiates, alcohol, horrible relationships, years of destructive actions and thinking. I believe only the Gospel of Jesus Christ can truly set them free. Leaving the Charleston Center sober is just the very first step of transitioning. It is a big step, but it is just a first step. The Transition House is the second step of sober living.
NEXT WEEK: HOW ARE THE WOMEN SELECTED FOR THE HOUSE? WHO DECIDES?
See you Sunday, good Lord willing,
Pastor Tom
