Surrendering All to Christ

Dads who come to the Mission have many challenges. While they are healing from addictions or crisis and seeking assistance to become stable in the workforce again, they also face the daunting duty of reuniting with family and healing relationships. Harold shares his story here.

“Drugs cause you to be so selfish and dishonest. People get tired of you walking in and out of their lives.”

After being married twice, Harold has two sons and a daughter with a total of ten grandkids. Harold is at the Mission working on himself so he can finally be on good terms with his family. “My mom raised me right in the church, but by the time I was a Senior in high school, I wanted freedom and gave in to the bad peer pressure.”

“On August 18, 2021, I finally surrendered to the Lord. I said to Him I want to do whatever it takes. ”

At age 18, he started experimenting with marijuana and after that, he tried everything that came his way. At age 23, he discovered freebase cocaine in 1978 and that was his immediate love and drug of choice, all the way up to 2021. It replaced his relationships, cost him several jobs, and caused him to lose his desire to pursue his goals and interests. His battle of quitting and then returning to drugs lasted for 43 years. He said he tried everything to get healing – God, AA, church, treatments, and so on. He stayed with his first church until his Pastor passed away.

“I remember one time after relapsing, I was so frustrated. I felt I was being sincere, but it still wasn’t working. I said to my mom I still can’t seem to break free and she said it was because I had not fully surrendered to the Lord. For twenty years I did not understand what she meant until now.

Harold lived out of his car wearing the same clothes for over a month when on August 14, 2021, he drove into a telephone pole, destroyed his car, and lost his only home. Looking for shelter, he walked to a friend’s home, but he wasn’t there and then to another public shelter that was closed. Harold finally went to his church, Word of Faith Ministries, where he asked for a ride to Haven of Rest Ministries on August 16, 2021.

Harold quit smoking the next day. He shared how the Cleveland Browns and TV were his escape and idol and he never would miss a season, even skipping church to watch the game. He was so serious about giving up all of his addictions that he skipped the 2021 football season and committed his time to self-healing and growing his relationship with Christ.

Today, Harold is successfully interning at the Mission after completing the Men’s Residential program and classes. He is leading a weekly Bible study group. With a friend, he also started a prayer meeting on the first Friday of each month, which has now turned into weekly prayer meetings.