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Haven Offering Hope

El Roi Ministries

by Virlanda Miller

The Charlotte World

Statistics show that three out of five girls and two in five boys will be sexually abused before the age of 18.  Three children die each day as a result of child abuse.  Child abuse has increased 300 percent in the past 10 years.

Mary Ann Jones, program director for El Roi Ministries, quotes these statistics to illustrate the problem of abuse, but for her, abuse victims are not just numbers or statistics.  They are real people, and she lives among them.  Jones and her husband, Wayne, founded and operate El Roi, a residential home for young adult women who have led self-destructive lives, and desire to create better lives for themselves.  In many cases, these women have suffered abuse in their pasts, and "acted out" by being promiscuous, abusing drugs or alcohol, or exhibiting other self-destructive behavior.

El Roi Ministries is nestled in rural Anson County in the Peachland community, approximately one hour from Charlotte.  Mary Ann and Wayne Jones opened the home in January 2001, as a means to help hurting women and their families, by providing a structured living environment and a Christian-based curriculum.

Mary Ann Jones says she and her husband are familiar with the pain of abuse and the resulting scars.  Years before El Roi was formed, the Joneses became aware of a similar residential home in Toronto, Ontario, and became acquainted with the ministry team affiliated with the facility.  The ministry team traveled and gave presentations about abuse awareness and God's ability to heal the wounds caused by abuse and neglect.  The Joneses believed in this ministry, and hosted team members in their Polkton home whenever their travels brought them to the area.  The Joneses attended these presentations, which brought them in contact with families in crisis.

"There were so many people who were hurting," Mary Ann Jones recalled.  "They'd show up on our doorstep."  Jones said she and her husband provided transportation for several young women to travel to Canada and enter the residential home's 13-month program.  The Joneses also provided emotional support for the families left behind, and prayed for answers as to what more they could do for those they encountered.

"God laid the need to open a home here," Jones said.  "God's not just in Canada."  The name El Roi, which means, "the God who sees," was chosen.  Jones explained that God sees the suffering of children being mistreated, but this is not always apparent to the victims, who when told of the love of God, question where He was when they were being beaten, raped and tortured.

"You have these children who start out believing in God, and then they are sexually abused, and they begin to question God," Jones said.  "They grow up and they learn to mistrust God.  And God is very angry about (the abuse)."

After years spent in prayer and planning, El Roi Ministries opened its doors in January 2001, with Wayne Jones as executive director, Mary Ann Jones as program director.  The ministry has since relocated to its current location, which has housing space for five students.  The Joneses maintain their Polkton home, but spend most nights at El Roi.  Wayne Jones still works as a postmaster, but Mary Ann Jones left her job as a registered nurse to devote her time to El Roi.

At El Roi, students have a structured living arrangement, including set times for meals, chores, devotion, Bible study and personal growth study, recreation and counseling sessions.  They clean the house, cook, do the yardwork and are expected to complete their homework assignments.  While at El Roi, they do not generally work for pay, but they are required to give back to the community, by volunteering their time at a homeless shelter or a crisis pregnancy center.  Jones explained this arrangement instills discipline in students, who in many cases did not have a structured lifestyle prior to entering El Roi.

Four graduates have completed the program at El Roi.  One graduate, Jan, still resides at the home and works as a graduate assistant, but plans to move into another residence soon.  Jones said all of the graduates are Christians, one plans to enter full-time ministry, and most are continuing their education.  "They've been given the tools necessary to be that productive Christian citizen," Jones said.  "Their minds have been renewed."

Jackie, Erin and Jennifer also call El Roi home.  The students range in age from 23 to 30, and come from all over the United States (El Roi's presence on the Internet attracts inquiries nationwide).  While their backgrounds differ, their circumstances brought them to the same place, and they are all living in a manner to which they were previously unaccustomed.

"It's a big step of faith to come here," Jennifer said.  "I needed structure.  Before I came here, I struggled with depression.  Having so much responsibility has strengthened me."

"It's challenging in a good way," Erin said.  "To come here, you have to be willing to come here and learn.  It's about learning life all over again, and finding out what God wants for you."

Jackie entered the program at El Roi, left and then returned.  She commented that in order to successfully complete the program, "You have to die to yourself," referring to the Biblical term which involves putting aside one's own selfish desires in order to please God.

All three described their future goals for their lives once they leave the home.  Jackie wants to have a residential home similar to El Roi.  Erin wants to work with troubled youth.  Jennifer wants to sing, either with a church worship team or as a Christian recording artist, marry and raise children.

Corinne Chausse of Monroe, a volunteer who teaches a weekly Bible study at El Roi and goes on outings with the students, said she enjoys watching the women's progress as they proceed through the program.  "It's a great process to watch," she said.  "I learn from them and am encouraged.  I came here to give and help, but I have been the one to receive."

Jones said she would like to open more homes in the future, and be able to help others in need, such as teenagers, young men and pregnant women in crisis.  "We want to be open to what God has in store for us for the future," she said.