Ricky’s Story

Ricky remembers going to church with his mother and grandmother when he was younger. But the older he got, the further away from God he became. He started drinking in high school. His addiction worsened after graduation, continued on into his marriage of 25 years, and got even worse after his divorce.

Twenty-three years ago, Ricky was in a forklift accident and suffered a fractured skull. “I was in the hospital for 17 weeks,” he remembers. “And my aunt would come by and talk to me about the Bible. She told me God wasn’t ready for me yet, and that there were things here for me to do.”

As the years went by, Ricky’s seizures worsened, so he moved to Lexington to be closer to the hospital for his treatments. Soon after, a friend invited him to come to the Mission with him.

“I saw people who were on the streets and were in worse shape than me, and they were being taken care of,” he says.

“They helped me get a job. I really wasn’t into the Bible until I started coming here. Now, I go to Bible study every day. They also got me going to church, and I haven’t missed one day since starting.”

“I’ve been through a lot. The people at the House of Hope, including the guys there, really supported me and helped me get through everything. If I had been on the streets or something, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

Ricky was also instrumental in getting our new Community Center ready to serve the community. “A friend of mine said the Mission needed some rooms to be painted,” he says. “I love to paint, so when I’d get off from work, I’d come here and paint. I painted almost every room upstairs.”

“The Mission has helped me appreciate what God can do for you. My biggest goal now is to watch my grandkids grow up.”

Thank you for making a difference in Ricky’s life through your partnership!