Trusting God has always been a part of Ron’s life. Originally from Guyana, South America, Ron was raised in church and taught from an early age the importance of praying and giving of himself in terms of time and resources. Ron’s aunt came to the United States for school. One by one, members of Ron’s family joined her here. Ron arrived when he was 8-years-old, and lived with his grandmother, in Brooklyn, New York.
“I met my wife Yolanda while visiting a friend in New Jersey,” shares Ron. “We came to Nashville 5 years ago. We have a 13-year-old son, Jha-Sun, which means Son of God. We are trying to teach him the importance giving and serving.”
Hard Lessons Learned
“Many years ago I faced some trouble, much like many of the men I’ve met here. The consequence—when my son was 3 or 4, I was arrested and incarcerated for 56 days. During that time, my wife shared with me how our son started acting out. He could not understand why I was no longer home. It broke my heart to know my son was suffering because of my actions. It was then I allowed God to completely change me. I surrendered everything to Him.”
“My wife and I have been donating to the Nashville Rescue Mission for several years,” says Ron. “I’ve always enjoyed donating. It’s not about the accolades. I do it to give my heart joy. After reading some of the compelling stories in your newsletter, my wife and I decided it was time to see the Mission up close, so we signed up to volunteer.”
“I believe it is important to not be wasteful. We’ve donated clothes, toys and even an old computer. It feels so good to give.”
Praise God for New Beginnings
It is not uncommon to see Ron here 4 times a week. Ron says he loves to come on the wet and rainy days when he knows others might not be so willing to venture out.
“I have a flexible schedule,” says Ron. “I know a lot of people don’t enjoy getting up early, so I’m happy to serve on the morning shift. Sometimes I’ll even stay and work the lunch shift. After that, I like visiting the Mission’s chapel where I can take time to praise the Lord for His goodness and mercy.”
Ron says it’s like Easter here every day. “I’m constantly amazed by the transformations that take place in the men I see day after day as I’m serving. At first, their heads are turned down and they look like they are carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. But before long, these same men are starting to look up, smile and even laugh. It’s amazing what God can do when we let Him in. He can give us new life.”
Volunteers like Ron are making a difference every day in the lives of those staying at the Nashville Rescue Mission. Find out how you can also make a difference by visiting our volunteer page.