Johnny’s Story

After his mother’s death, Johnny was off and on the streets for several years. Introduced to “weed and drinking” in his late teens, he soon found his life skidding downhill.

His last job was at a fast-food restaurant in Richmond, where he lived in the back of the garbage bin area.

“One night I got off work and went out with another guy,” he remembers. “It was supposed to be 13 below. A winter storm had hit, and I slept in the back of a tractor-trailer. I really wasn’t expecting that kind of cold. I’m an alcoholic, so I was pretty drunk and almost froze to death.”

“God had been trying to pull me out of where I was,” he says today. “But I was so far down that I wasn’t reaching out to grab Him.”

Miraculously, Johnny survived, and his boss got him admitted to an addiction treatment center where he got sober and learned about the help available through one of Lexington Rescue Mission’s transitional houses, The Potter’s House.

“The folks at The Potter’s House were so good to me. I adapted quickly and eventually came to The House of Hope. They treated me with respect and kindness. They helped me get my driver’s license. They’ve helped with financial issues. Now, I’m on a better path.”

“Every day is a challenge. There are days when I sit down with my case manager and say, ‘Look, the devil is really pulling me down.’ And we’ll talk it out. I’ve been learning more and listening more. I’m growing. The Johnny who came up on the streets is no more. He’s gone.”

“The way that they do things here, I wouldn’t have it any other way. It really brings you up to show you your potential and that God has a plan for your life. If you’ll get on that path and follow Him, He’s got you.”

To those who support our work, Johnny says, “Thank you for bringing people like me off the streets and bringing us to a place where we have hope. And a place where we can lay our heads at night and let our fears go.”

Thank you so much for making a difference in Johnny’s life through your prayers and support!