Finding Home in Serving Others

Sarah Foster, St. Louis Dream Center Assistant

Queen of the hill, she had everything at her fingertips. She was the star of her college’s women’s basketball team. A career in the WNBA seemed all but certain. She was on top of the world, and nothing was going to bring her down. But sometimes life has a way of knocking us to our knees…that’s what the rape did to her. That’s what two basketball-related injuries did to her. She gave up, she let go. She succumbed to the humbling blows that came her way. 

Fast forward to today – past the years she spent as a drug dealer, past the years of depression, past the moment when she was asked to leave her sister’s house because she couldn’t kick her drug habit. Today, you’ll find the former queen of the hill serving others at the St. Louis Dream Center as a volunteer in the food pantry. “Good morning!” she says cheerfully as the next client walks past the desk with a grocery cart. She carefully gathers the food items and hands them over with a friendly smile. When watching her, it’s almost as if she were born for this. 

In fact, she was in the grocery business for eleven years, much of that time managing stores throughout the southeast. This is her “niche.” It’s apparent this isn’t just a woman fresh off the streets, working hard to leave the drugs in her past; you see her as something more. You begin to see her as God sees her: A woman with hope and a future. A woman with a smile. A woman with joy. A woman who has found a family and a home. 

Meet Kasha Doomes. Right now she may be “homeless,” bouncing from friend’s house to friend’s house as she diligently works to get her life back in order, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have a home. When asked to describe the Dream Center in one word, “inspirational” is what immediately comes from her mouth. 

“This place feels like family, it feels like home. Sometimes I don’t want to leave at the end of the day, but I know I have to.” She hopes to one day open a home or facility that will help women who have experienced similar difficult situations in their lives. She wants to take the inspiration she has received from the Dream Center and pass it along to others in need. She would also like to write a book. 

What would she say to someone that is considering volunteering at the Dream Center? “It’s a good environment. Being here will not only teach you a lot about other people; it will teach you about yourself. It will help you to see who you really are if you don’t already know.” 

Kasha needed something positive, a better place to be. She needed somewhere to invest her time, a good environment. When it seemed like her life couldn’t get any darker, a friend introduced her to the Dream Center and volunteering. She was in search of doing something good with her time. In turn, she found inspiration. She found hope. She found a family. She found home. 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Preaching the Gospel Without Words

One of the goals of every Joyce Meyer Ministries’ outreach is to see every person we encounter ultimately develop a relationship with Jesus Christ. But getting them to that point often takes a lot of love in action. So many people are in so much physical or emotional pain that they can’t even process the Gospel message until their needs have been met. 

In doing that, we’ve found the only thing greater than telling someone about Jesus is showing them Jesus. Serving people and offering medical help says more about who we are as Christians than we could ever say in a lifetime. 

Think about Acts 10:38: …He [Jesus] went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil… (NIV). How simple! Jesus drew people to Himself over and over by loving them. 

And so Jesus is our example, and that is our mission: to share Christ and love people. Joyce Meyer Ministries is blessed to spread the Good News of Jesus through conferences, on television and in print, telling the world that God loves them. We never forget, however, that loving and caring for others is the greatest message we will ever preach.

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Delivering Hope: Reaching the Hungry and Homeless in the Former Soviet Union

Chad Trafton, Staff Writer

When the Soviet Union fell in 1991, everything literally changed overnight. The sudden fall of communism led to economic collapse and resulted in sweeping social changes, including a new national religion and, in some locations, a new language. 

The nation’s new political identity also left an entire older generation disillusioned. Marked by its political and military heroes, these men and women watched everything they once fought for instantly crumble around them. The system was turned upside down…and even educated and decorated veterans struggled to find employment.  

In the wake of such dramatic change, millions have fought to simply survive, often lacking the most basic necessities. However, through your support, Hand of Hope, Joyce Meyer Ministries World Missions is partnering with Rick Renner Ministries in the former Soviet Union to help reach thousands of precious people in need. 

In the Heart of Moscow 

Home to more than 16 million residents, Moscow is one of the most populated cities in the world…and it continues to expand. Each day, more people flood in from other parts of Russia looking for jobs and a place to live. 

The growing population also feeds a growing problem: thousands of “social orphans” lacking a home or proper care. Often escaping abusive situations or parents struggling with addiction, they many times go from bad to worse, falling prey to other dangerous situations or addictions themselves. 

“If you go through this city today and you look for these kids, you won't see them on the streets,” says Rick Renner. “They're living in the attics. They're living in the basements. These are kids who, especially in the colder months of the year, sniff glue…because glue causes them to feel warmer, and so there's a big addiction problem with glue.” 

Through Rick Renner Ministries’ Good News Church in Moscow, ministry teams regularly seek out these kids to provide them with meals and let them know someone cares. For these children, the love and support means everything. Continued visits open the door for us to share the message of Christ and invite them to the church, where we can help them in even greater ways. 

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

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Genesis Men’s Home: A Place for New Creations

Kendrick Haynes - Genesis Men’s Home Director

The Genesis Men’s Home is a national outreach of the St. Louis Dream Center, giving men the opportunity to receive miraculous life transformation. Through this life-changing program men are encouraged to become more like Jesus in both word and deed.  

Modeled after Teen Challenge, adult men enter the 12 month discipleship program and immerse themselves in a constant schedule of Christian education, pastoral counseling, anger management, relapse prevention, and therapeutic work experiences. 

Genesis Men’s Home is committed to the complete recovery of every single individual that enrolls in the program. As such, it is absolutely amazing what God has allowed the Genesis Men’s Home to accomplish. In 2013 men at the Genesis Home received precious second chances, became reconciled to God, had chains of addiction broken, and their families restored. In 2014 we are believing to do even more because we serve a God who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all we could ever dare to hope, think or imagine.  

Today we have 36 students enrolled in the program and we consider it such a privilege to work with these men. Together, through your vital support, we are making a difference in the lives of those we teach. If someone you love is struggling with a life-controlling problem we have the answer. At Genesis Men’s Home the answer is Jesus Christ. To learn more about this life-changing program, visit us at Genesis Mens Home 

Therefore, if anyone be in Christ he is a new creation. The old is gone, behold the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

At Genesis Men’s Home, behold the new has come. Thanks to the partners and friends of Joyce Meyer Ministries; through your support we are all helping to change lives in the inner city of St. Louis and around the world. Together we are better.

Hand of Hope is the missions arm of Joyce Meyer Ministries. Our goal is simply to help as many hurting people as we possibly can, to alleviate human suffering and to help Christians grow in their faith.

Follow Hand of Hope on Facebook | Twitter