GENESIS III GIVES MARTINA A NEW BEGINNING
“Before I went to Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, I was angry at God because I thought all the bad things that were happening to me were because of God,” Martina Walker reflects. At 55 years old, she was struggling with an addiction that was derailing her life.
When her drug usage left her hospitalized, Martina knew she couldn’t go on as she was. She wanted not just her life back, but a new, fresh start. When the hospital gave her a list of rehabilitation programs, she saw Genesis III. “That was one of my favorite books of the Bible. It means beginning,” says Martina. “I wanted a new beginning, so I chose Genesis House.”
When she first walked through our doors, Martina says she felt ashamed of needing to go to a rehabilitation center at her age. But once she felt seen and understood by our staff and other guests, she quickly began to change her mind.
“I felt lucky. I felt like I was led there. I really did. It felt like home.”
Every morning at Genesis III, Martina would wake up at 5:30 am. Once she made her bed, she would rush down to the kitchen to see if our staff needed any help with
breakfast. Feeling like she was a help to others was life-changing for her.
Through volunteering at our kitchen during her stay, Martina found a new purpose in life. Our staff helped her enroll in a culinary arts class, and she hopes someday to get to work at a restaurant downtown. But her biggest goal is to be able to give back to the Mission.
“Please don’t ever close these doors, because there are still souls out there suffering and in need of DRMM and all it offers,” Martina says.