Testimonies

"My dad was a pastor but I had my own life. It wasn't until the end of my parents' lives that I realized they were my best friends. Once I joined the program, things came back to me that my dad used to talk about. It became interesting to me because he's gone now when it wasn't interesting to me before and it has become my life. What I've learned about the Bible sine I've been here has helped me to grow and sticks with me. It makes you think on it throughout the day and I crave to learn more.

I love how much the staff cares and makes you feel like family. Everyone takes you in and really cares about your needs and instills their biblical values into you. Once they faind out your needs, they focus in on meeting those needs to aid in your spiritual walk. They help you find your strengths and work on those which helps you bring them out to serve others. Serming others isn't just what we're made to do but it also makes us feel better.

Even though I've graduated, my fellow program men and staff have continued to be a support system for me which is important for helping graduates succeed. I plan to carry on what I've learned here to help others in my community and church family (which I have now!) The Hagerstown Rescue Mission gives you a chance to come off the street, reflect on your life, and find out what's most important. The staff is also helpful with that. I find it to be with fierce urgency to get my life straight with the Lord and this is the place to do it." -Don G.

"The Hope Center has encouraged me to get help as I move forward from homelessness to independence. I have gotten closer to God and it has provided a safe environment for me."

- Rozene

I grew up attending church services Grace Baptist Church in Waynesboro Pennsylvania. I can vividly remember when I came to Christ in third grade, I can still picture the hallway that my Sunday school teacher Ms. Peg took me to and the words she shared with me that day so I could be sure that I had a personal relationship with Christ. Throughout my youth and teen years, I was involved in church through church attendance, Sunday school, youth group, camp, and generally all my friends were from church. I wasn’t truly focused on Christ but more interested in the social aspect of church. I met my wife of 33 years at our summer church camp in 1989 and went on to marry her a few years later. Upon marriage, God blessed us with 4 healthy sons. This is where things started to go awry for me. I became a young man running from God. I began to focus on the things of the world, working and money became my top priority. My Christian testimony was nonexistent, and my language would put a sailor to shame., Any interest in church was gone, and I was OK with it because Aimee made sure my kids were there. During this period of living my own life, I worked in the trucking industry where my lifestyle fit right in, except for one fellow worker named Buzz. He would minister to me every chance he could. I finally admitted to him that I knew Christ and was a believer, which fired him up even more. Then he asked me daily, if you’re a believer and have a relationship with Christ, how can you continually live the life you're living, it’s not honoring God. I assure you, this was all with love and kindness, not judgment. After several years, Christ got hold of me and restored me to fellowship with Him. ( I left Him, He didn’t leave me.) Aimee and I went on to raise our sons in Church, praying that each would have a relationship with Christ. Shortly after, I left the trucking industry and started a career in corrections with the State of Maryland. During this time, I was able to share the gospel with those inside the fence as well as employees. Aimee and I were involved in our church as well as being youth leaders. Upon my retirement in 2021, God called me to the Hope Center to minister and share the Gospel to a lost community. I did not think I was prepared or capable of this new role, but God knew better. So today I am grateful to God and all those in my life who have encouraged me in my journey to become the man God created me to be, and I pray God will continue to use me for His purpose.

Watch Charles's Testimony here

Watch Joe's Testimony Here

Watch Gerald's Testimony here