Collins Discusses
"Home of Grace" Ministry

     Our 'Men's 710' welcomed both men and women to its January breakfast and speaker fellowship. The ministry of 'Home of Grace' is too important for the people of Baldwin County not to know about it.

     What is "Home of Grace"?  "'Home of Grace' is this ministry," Collins explains.  "It is not just a property in Elsanor.  Nor is it the people here," Director Patrick Collins observed in a recent conversation on the campus in Elsanor.  "It is God serving people.  The target audience to be helped are female substance abusers.  Our youngest so far was 19 and our oldest was 67.  Our ministry does not take women younger than 19, because that is not our ministry focus."  To place this discussion in focus, some basic statistics need to be reviewed.  If the Baldwin County population in 2005 was about 162,600 and if we know that nationally, 15% or more of American adults have a problem with alcohol use, 3% to 5% of them will be women and they will be alcohol-dependent.  We can add other substance abuse numbers to those basic data.  Social and economic group status makes little difference to the stats.  The figures work out to somewhere between 4878 and 8130 women suffering from just alcohol-related substance abuse right now here in Baldwin.  

     "I have been an attorney practicing on the Eastern Shore for 18 years. God has led me into ministry with 'Home of Grace' and I am currently doing seminary work," Patrick Collins explained. Collins' involvement began as an attorney called on to help in the purchase of property in Elsanor and ended up with his taking on the directorship of the ministry. The formal ministry began in April of 2007 when the first resident came on board the program which lasts from 12 to 16 weeks. The beginning of the ministry was complicated by a need for leadership in this brand new Christian-based chemical dependency program.

     So, there are lots of women right here in Baldwin that have substance abuse problems. The question comes up, "Why Home of Grace in Baldwin County?  You are in Mobile County already. Why on the east side of the Bay?" Patrick returns with a quick response.  "Because Mobile's Home of Grace has been carrying 20 women from Baldwin County in its program for years.  It was time for Baldwin to step up for our own.  We do have an 'after-care' program where we follow up on our clients.  Physically, it is a long way to go from south Baldwin to Mobile."  So, the decision to bring the program to Baldwin related both to need and the logistics of travel time.

     The program is more than a logistical strategy for dealing with addiction.  "The real problem is not the abuse--the root problem is both spiritual and psychological.  The chemical abuse is the addicts' answer to dealing with 'inner pain.'  We are a Christian-faith-based program.  We have a 12 to 16 week twelve-step recovery program that attempts to deal with that inner pain.  With the Lord's help we bring scripture and recovery tools to bear on problems as we care and nurture the recovery process."

     By July when Collins came on as director, the ministry had 27 acres of land, and with his leadership help soon had no debt and all bills paid. This is quite remarkable in itself since the ministry takes all comers, regardless of resources. Ladies come with a hardship background, often with abuse present from childhood. Drugs and alcohol often have been the coping mechanism for dealing with neglect and hurt. About one third of the women have an incarceration background. Most are mothers--a real concern since dependency for alcohol and other substances often passes from generation to generation. Some of these women have no family involvement. Patrick notes that "the court system loves Home of Grace because what we do in our program 'works,' and the court knows it. We hold our residents accountable."

     "There is no way everyday people can afford this kind of program.  Ministry costs dollars that people don't have--that's why this is a ministry.  Churches and individuals have felt the call to support us.  The support system has been underwriting needs for 35 years in Mobile, and it took five years to set up and get the program fully running there. With Mobile's help, our Home of Grace is up and running right now.  We've paid every bill we've had.  I can't tell you how.  It certainly doesn't make sense on paper.  When we ask 'why?,' the answer is pretty clear."  Collins has a look somewhere between a smile and a look of amazement at this point. "It is because God has His hand on this place.  It is so humbling.  The money never seems to match up, but what we have always seems to match up with what we must have.  We're running with such limited funds.  We're always underestimating God."  

     With the help of churches and individuals, the program support is there, but new needs have come as the ministry approaches its second year of operation. "We need people with skilled hands to help with infrastructure needs." Translation: The facility is older and there are up-keep issues that need to be addressed. And, there's a need to keep the "clothes closet" filled. "Many residents come with just the clothes they are wearing so we provide a basic wardrobe when ladies leave our program if needed," Collins notes.

     Director Collins looks to a time line of ten years to fully set up the program that began operating in Elsanor in 2007 with only prayer and no business operational plan in place. "We seek to be wise stewards of God's assets. Our books are open and we are not ashamed for anybody to look at our books." Losing sight of the mission and getting distracted from the mission, are the only real fears at this time. Patrick explains, "adding ministry outside our basic focus or sending our ladies out with inadequate support, are concerns. We need the recovery community to step up and help us. Such a support team has yet to emerge." There is a board that oversees the operations of Baldwin's Home of Grace and issues like these, but Collins is responsible for the day to day operation of the facility. He reports bi-monthly to the Board and provides regular e-mail updates.  The organizational structure is similar to that of a church.

    A man on the street might ask, "Can God really be in a program?"  Collins responds, "God's in charge of this place.  If we forget, He sets us straight.  We have to remember that everyday. The ladies go to different churches every Sunday. We have services here.  We have Bible studies. We welcome churches to add us to their ministry. We seek a God-connection, so important in our twelve-step program. Ladies coming here are mostly broken.  Until they get connected with God, they won't get real healing. If we don't have God in this program, we have some REAL difficulties!"

     The staff of Baldwin's Home of Grace are Cindy Lambert, a gifted counselor helping the recovering; Susan Stripling, a program manager with a special gift for assessment and discerning problems; Linda Godsby, housemother and cook; and Patrick Collins, Director. The program is set up to take 10 residents, meaning that Mobile is still picking up another 10 from Baldwin.  The Snook Foundation and "lots of prayer has gotten the Baldwin Home of Grace off the ground and functioning to its present status.  And we depend on churches for financial support and referral of ladies needing help.  We need physical labor help.  We need prayer support.  We need to have churches and people praying for us," Collins tells us.

     The growing pains have resulted in a needs list for Baldwin's Home of Grace.  

1. A van capable of transporting 15 to 16 people.
2. Transitional housing able to offer initial protection for graduates of the 12-step program.  
3. $17,000 a month to continue operation (only 16% of client service is covered by fees).  
4. Functional vehicles for graduates (who typically "have many debts and have burned many bridges").  
5. Physical help with work and repair projects on the site of Home of Grace in Elsanor.  
6. Volunteers with social work skills and planning.  
7. Volunteer coordinator to connect volunteers with projects and needs.  
8. Help in adding more beds to the core service dormitory. 

     Baldwin's Home of Grace is currently developing its first community newsletter.  Clients have come to Home of Grace  primarily by word of mouth. Home of Grace is attempting to set up communications with churches, judges, sheriffs, and others in the broader community who deal with chemical dependency issues. The President of the Home of Grace Board is a judge.

    Can the community help?  Collins is quick to answer this question. "Yes, call us at 251 945-3355 or access us on the web at http://www.homeofgrace.org/." You can interact with Director Collins as he lays out the ministry of Home of Grace at the January 8 Men's 710 meeting at 7:10 AM.  For this special event, Zion's Men's 710 invited men and women to share an hour with this interesting speaker AND a complimentary light breakfast at Zion Lutheran Church.  

Owens Reports, "Lutheran Habitat on Track to Build in Foley"

     Ned Owens updated the January meeting of "Men's 710," that construction on a Habitat for Humanity home under Lutheran auspices will begin January 23, 2008, with ground blessing and actual tool shed framing for the home to begin January 26. By March 8, the plan should be completed and occupants will be ready to move in. Information about schedule, jobs, and volunteers needed can be obtained by contacting Owens at (251) 978-0930.

     Lutheran Habitat for Humanity in Baldwin County's Ned Owens (standing), updated Zion Lutheran Church's "Men's 710" on the upcoming "build" project to begin in Foley January 23, 2008.