Haven of Rest director urges support for proposal

By Wayne Sheridan

When I first met Mike, a fellow church member of his had asked me to visit him in jail. He was there because he had reacted to a domestic problem by starting to drink alcohol and was arrested. After he detoxified and was released from jail, Mike entered the Haven of Rest’s Lighthouse Program for men with life-controlling problems.There he was taken through Neil Anderson’s courses Victory over Darkness and Bondage Breaker as well as other Bible studies, interpersonal skills teaching, 12-step group counseling, and work skills development.

Mike learned to take responsibility for his problems and to forgive and ask for forgiveness. Today, Mike has a good job in Bristol, has a good place to live, and has a healthy relationship with his children. He is an example of what the Mission’s spiritual based programs are all about.

These are not hard core criminals, but people who need another chance and want to make a better life. They have chosen a faith-based approach as the way to their success.

Does it work? The Lighthouse Program has been helping men for seven years with above-average success. There are many such programs across America. It is a recognized approach to overcoming life-controlling problems that has been proven by results. Referrals come from many concerned sources, but the applicant himself or herself must volunteer for the program. Part of the success is the application and screening process. No one with a history of violence, sexual offense or severe mental illness is accepted. Residents agree to not smoke, to give up their cell phone, to limited visitation, and to be restricted to campus or be chaperoned when leaving campus for an appointment or church. Discipline is another reason for success – the program has zero tolerance for variance from the rules. The residents have 24-hour every day supervision including live-in supervision at night.

There are fewer spiritual-based programs available for women than for men. The Mission plans to meet this need in our community and has raised funds to develop the same kind of program as the Lighthouse, only for women. The plan includes a new facility for the Lighthouse and a new 18-bed facility for women. It is the women’s facility the Mission has agreed to locate on the property on Second Street.

It is this change, plus a stronger screening process and our agreement to provide all the security measures recommended by a police department study of this site that shows that the Mission is sincere in trying to work with the concerns of the YWCA.

Will the children be safe? The children that are part of our ministry are precious to us, loved and kept safe. We believe that the YWCA feels the same about their children and that they have made sure of their safety through constant staff supervision, government required tight staffing ratios, structural safeguards (security fences, locks, lighting and visibility), and secure check-in, check-out procedures. The children are kept safe and would still be safe with our presence nearby. The city police state that our presence there would actually lower the risk in that area.

Economic benefits to the community include $1.2 million to be spent developing the two facilities and five additional positions to operate them.

The Mission has raised more than $700,000 and $500,000 is likely to come from a grant from outside the area that is tied specifically to 205 Second St. The Mission is funded solely by donations and we do not charge for any of our services. This is important so that the indigent can get the help of a long-term program that they could not otherwise afford.

The Bristol area has social needs some of which are not being met. In keeping with the scriptural admonition that we have not been given a spirit of fear but of a sound mind, I encourage the Planning Commission and the YWCA to seize the opportunity to help women and children by working with us to help these women become better persons and better moms consistent with the YWCA’s and the Haven of Rest’s mission statements.

It is not time to shy away from challenges because of unsubstantiated fears. It is time to take initiative to help all the people in our community to overcome their problems and live better lives.

Wayne Sheridan is executive director of the Haven of Rest rescue mission of Bristol.