[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Ruth House is a transitional shelter for up to eleven women and children in crisis. Most have a history of drug or alcohol abuse and all have experienced trauma in their lives. Residents are helped to overcome their wounds, addictions and addictive behaviors. The goal is to help residents focus on recovery through a new or renewed understanding of their identity in Christ.
Ruth House provides many services including addiction recovery, career counseling, life skills and spiritual mentoring. Mary Barber and four other women from our church serve as spiritual mentors to the residents. They meet with the ladies every week and come alongside them to love, mentor and disciple them.
The five mentoring angels commit every Thursday afternoon to the ladies that they love like granddaughters. Mary says, “We are there to love them.” They show them the love of Jesus while discipling the women in their new walk with the Lord.
Mary knows they make a difference and shared a story about a new resident. “Jennifer” had no spiritual background but knew about the Lord. Recently Jennifer had terrible nightmares that woke her up early one morning. She was crying and terribly distraught. She walked outside the house and cried out to God and asked Him for a hug. “He hugged me! I can’t explain it. Something happened. He made me whole.” Her only desire now is to know God! She was just baptized on Sunday!
Please pray for the current and future residents of Ruth House and Miss Rebecca and Miss Charlotte, the co-directors of the shelter. And please pray for the wonderful women of our Church that dearly love and mentor them.
Mary is always looking for more disciple makers, so please contact her if you are interested in becoming a mentor. For more information about Ruth House, check out their website at www.ruthhouse.net
Mary Barber Orinda Ward
April 6, 2020 Update from Bernie:
At Ruth House we share the Lord’s Word with these ladies. We witness to them about our lives and the struggles we have encountered. We give them hope for the future. It gives them a sense of love and caring to have someone believing in them again. They look to us like grandmothers. Isn’t that what Jesus wants us to do in making disciples and sharing His love with them?
We meet once a week and give them book lessons on Jesus, we share from Jesus Calling and we worship in song. Recently we sang a Beatles tune with them in praise. We have baked with them and laughed and cried with them. We have fun with them as we come along side them. It renews our love for Christ as we come to know these ladies. Isn’t that what the Lord asks us to do? Some of these women have never known love or trust nor family or faith. We come away so blessed when we see a smiling face or we hear them say Jesus talked with them.
At Christmas the last 2 years I invited them into my home for an Italian feast. So, you see God has sent me a family in Florida at Christmas. How blessed we are to work with these ladies.
During this corona virus outbreak, we are not able to meet with the ladies. We will be so happy when this will be possible again. We miss them so much!
Bernie Black[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]