TRANSFORMING LIVES THROUGH CHRIST
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Addiction Recovery Center of Beaufort
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The Low Country's Hopefor the Drug Epidemic
August 2nd, 2011 Testimony:
Dear Pastor Ron and TLC Ministries,
"The first words I have to say to you is THANK YOU. You have been an answered prayer to a broken-hearted mother. My son David started using drugs at the age of 16 or 17 years old. I began to pray for him daily. I begged the Lord to please rescue him from this horrible addiction. It then later began to consume his entire life. David was arrested in June 2011. I begged the judge to please help me get David help for this terrible addiction that even a mother's love could not break. I prayed all night and hung on to God and His word with all my might. I prayed for a Christian rehab center where David would be able to read his bible, pray and study God's word. Christian Rehabs are very rare to find. Then God sent me to Pastor Ron (TLC). The day I walked into Pastor Ron's office was the day I knew my prayers had been answered. I felt loved, comforted and that he was the man with the ministry that my son David needed so badly. Pastor Ron began to tell me about TLC Ministries. The morning prayer time, the bible reading in the morning, and also the hour every morning he would spend ministering to these young men. I began to cry again because I knew he was a man that God had called to minister to men and women who have addictions. This wasn't just a job for him, God called him to do this wonderful ministry. Pastor Ron read me a verse out of the bible to comfort me and he prayed with me, how rare is that in this world today. I knew David was going to get the opportunity of a lifetime. I thank God everyday for TLC Ministries and men like Pastor Ron who devote their time to help others. Pastor Ron, keep up the good work! I know God is going to bless you and the ministry because he has blessed me through you and the ministry. I saw my son David July 24th, 2011 for the first time since he's been in the recovery center. They were returning from church which made me so happy. David stepped out of the van and oh my gosh he was so handsome in his dress shirt and tie. I grabbed him in my arms and began to cry many happy tears. David has gained weight, his color was good and you could see in his face how happy he is. He was not the 22 year old son I had sent to rehab. He is now a vibrant, young 22 year old who talked about God and TLC Ministries the whole 2 hours we were there. He told us his routine and how he has learned to trust in God again. Thank God he had a second chance. So please if anyone can help with this ministry, please do so. It is a ministry of love and God. I have living proof. Thank you TLC Ministries for being a part of my family's life."
Your Sister In Christ,
(name withheld)
Dear Pastor Ron,
"This is me (name withheld). Just wanted to thank you for not giving up. When I wanted to leave, you helped me stay. God has a plan for me. This place has gotten me to change so much. We work a lot for the Ministry, but when I have time, I read the bible. It has given me so much understanding of life. In the beginning I was reading the bible, then fell away. Then I got in trouble and had to write Psalms 119. It gave me a reminder that if I have time in the day to write, then I have time to read. Since then, I've gotten closer with God. But because I have gotten closer with Him, the devil has tried so much harder to win and I lost a few battles of temptation. I thank you for not letting go of me, when the whole house wants me kicked out because they are looking at what I'm doing wrong instead of the things they are doing. Even though they are doing the same thing I am. But it's ok because I was doing the same before; look at others but myself and in true denial. But I feel I have changed a lot and God says if your trying to do well, your good works will be blessed. I feel it has because I'm still here. I have made a declaration to change. I have felt victory, GOD is on my side. I thank you again. Bless you and I love you."
-Anonymous student
Eating out of garbage cans and sleeping in the woods and abandoned buildings in Beaufort was a way of survival for Douglas Seagraves.
The 47 year old Seagraves had worked as a roofer around Beaufort for more than 25 years. Being laid off started Seagraves' life into a downward spiral, he said. He lost his family and then the mobile home he had shared with a roommate.
The day after Thanksgiving, Seagraves met the Rev. Ron VonFricken of Transforming Life Through Christ Ministries.
"He picked me up on the corner there near the Piggly Wiggly," Seagraves said. "I'm not proud of it, but God gives me a good heart, and God's given me the grace to humble myself."
Seagraves is one of several men in the TLC Ministries program for homeless and addicted people. Others who live at the ministry's center on Paris Island Gateway are also homeless or are working to overcome addictions in the TLC's Addiction Recovery Center of the Lowcountry's 12-14 month program. Some are as young as 18.
To help support the project, Seagraves, a staff assistant at TLC, and others have started The Cross Project. The men build wooden crosses from recycled materials--old fences, drawers from furniture, wooden pallets, barbed wire and concrete nails covered in aluminum and copper wire.
"We try to get the men to spend their time wisely and in a Godly way," Seagraves said.
Chase Reeves, 21, of Atlanta sought help from the Christian faith-based ministry's Addiction Recovery Center. He had been addicted to prescription medications in his teens and progressed to heroin.
"I heard about (TLC) from a storefront outreach where my grandmother received a brochure," Reeves said. "This program is the only $450 per month program where most cost somewhere between $500 to $1,000 a day."
The crosses can be purchased at TLC Thrift Store in Beaufort Plaza in Beaufort, and also by telephone orders. Donations of $15 to $25 to support the nonprofit ministry are requested for the crosses.
-Article in local Beaufort paper with interview from Doug
"When I was young, I was always the good kid until about 7th grade when a friend at the time introduced me to marijuana. I did that for awhile, then I stopped smoking and accepted Jesus into my heart. Life was great until high school came around and from then on it went from good to bad. I went back to smoking and started taking prescription pills. One day, for some reason, I decided to quit pills and started instead to do crack cocaine. Crack cocaine got to me real bad, and then I started to drink on top of that. I started to have very bad anger issues towards anyone and everyone. It tore my family apart, as well as all my friend and me. Then I switched my drugs to weed and ecstasy. A friend I was living with was getting them for me. Then, after a bit of that, I was high, depressed and felt lonely so I went on a walk and almost got hit by a car. My heart was hurt and I was so scared. I walked back to my house and tried to get rest but couldn't. Then, a few days later, I met Pastor Ron through my roommate's mom and they asked if I would come to their program. I was hesitant at first because I knew I would have to quit everything. But I joined the program and Pastor Ron and his staff helped me to feel comfortable with myself and reminded me of God's love and grace. I thank God for them because I don't know where I would be now."
-Anthony
Eating out of garbage cans and sleeping in the woods and abandoned buildings in Beaufort was a way of survival for Douglas Seagraves.
The 47 year old Seagraves had worked as a roofer around Beaufort for more than 25 years. Being laid off started Seagraves' life into a downward spiral, he said. He lost his family and then the mobile home he had shared with a roommate.
The day after Thanksgiving, Seagraves met the Rev. Ron VonFricken of Transforming Life Through Christ Ministries.
"He picked me up on the corner there near the Piggly Wiggly," Seagraves said. "I'm not proud of it, but God gives me a good heart, and God's given me the grace to humble myself."
Seagraves is one of several men in the TLC Ministries program for homeless and addicted people. Others who live at the ministry's center on Paris Island Gateway are also homeless or are working to overcome addictions in the TLC's Addiction Recovery Center of the Lowcountry's 12-14 month program. Some are as young as 18.
To help support the project, Seagraves, a staff assistant at TLC, and others have started The Cross Project. The men build wooden crosses from recycled materials--old fences, drawers from furniture, wooden pallets, barbed wire and concrete nails covered in aluminum and copper wire.
"We try to get the men to spend their time wisely and in a Godly way," Seagraves said.
Chase Reeves, 21, of Atlanta sought help from the Christian faith-based ministry's Addiction Recovery Center. He had been addicted to prescription medications in his teens and progressed to heroin.
"I heard about (TLC) from a storefront outreach where my grandmother received a brochure," Reeves said. "This program is the only $450 per month program where most cost somewhere between $500 to $1,000 a day."
The crosses can be purchased at TLC Thrift Store in Beaufort Plaza in Beaufort, and also by telephone orders. Donations of $15 to $25 to support the nonprofit ministry are requested for the crosses.
-Article in local Beaufort paper with interview from Doug
"When I was young, I was always the good kid until about 7th grade when a friend at the time introduced me to marijuana. I did that for awhile, then I stopped smoking and accepted Jesus into my heart. Life was great until high school came around and from then on it went from good to bad. I went back to smoking and started taking prescription pills. One day, for some reason, I decided to quit pills and started instead to do crack cocaine. Crack cocaine got to me real bad, and then I started to drink on top of that. I started to have very bad anger issues towards anyone and everyone. It tore my family apart, as well as all my friend and me. Then I switched my drugs to weed and ecstasy. A friend I was living with was getting them for me. Then, after a bit of that, I was high, depressed and felt lonely so I went on a walk and almost got hit by a car. My heart was hurt and I was so scared. I walked back to my house and tried to get rest but couldn't. Then, a few days later, I met Pastor Ron through my roommate's mom and they asked if I would come to their program. I was hesitant at first because I knew I would have to quit everything. But I joined the program and Pastor Ron and his staff helped me to feel comfortable with myself and reminded me of God's love and grace. I thank God for them because I don't know where I would be now."
-Anthony