Former drug addict feeds hearts and souls of homeless
KING WILLIAM, Va. (WWBT) - The “Fix Thrift” in King William County is a place where what’s old becomes new again.
That includes people like William “Gino” Turner.
“I didn’t think my life was going to go anywhere, that I was just society’s discarded waste,” Turner said.
Just like the items in the thrift store can find new life, Turner found the same after washing away his sins.
“I was able to establish a relationship with Christ, and I found real joy, and I’m just so happy. It’s so authentic, it’s so real and there’s so much hope now,” said Turner.
Fred Weymouth is the co-founder and lead pastor for “The Fix Ministry,” which oversees the thrift shop.
“I was drug-addicted for years, in and out of programs, in and out of homelessness in downtown Richmond,” he said.
Weymouth is now 10 years sober.
“I would tell you I had an encounter with God, and it completely changed my life forever.”
Now he’s turning his faith into action.
“They hold a Saturday night service because, on Sunday, they are serving the homeless downtown in the parking lot at 18th and Grace Street,” said Yvonne Broaddus, a member of the church.
But it’s not just on Sunday, Weymouth and his team are out there on Tuesday as well - giving out meals to at least a hundred people.
“They set up tents, they worship Jesus, and they serve the homeless a meal, they set out clothes for them - anything they need,” says Broaddus.
The ministry also offers housing for 12 men battling addiction and homelessness, with the hope of them transitioning back into society in a healthy way after a year.
“I came here three months ago, 20 pounds lighter, with a meth addiction, and in just a matter of weeks, my weight was restored. I looked healthy again, my mind was clear,” says Turner.
Because of success stories like William Turner and the work she’s witnessed firsthand, Yvonne Broaddus wanted to say, “thank you.”
Rewarding Pastor Weymouth with $300 and a $50 gift card to Mexico Restaurant.
The work can be hard and sometimes thankless, but after receiving the money, Pastor Fred Weymouth knew exactly how to pay it forward: giving it to the people working alongside him that keep the mission alive.
“God uses all things for good. I’ve always stuck to that passage because it doesn’t say all things are good; it says he uses all things for good. It was not a good experience when I was going through it, but I know now that it’s been used for good,” says Weymouth.
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