By Grace Thornton
The Alabama Baptist
Debbie Jones says that for a while, she didn’t really know what Samaritan Inn Ministry was all about — even after she became director of the ministry in October 2010.
But then the April 27, 2011, tornadoes hit, and that all changed. Samaritan Inn — a ministry started by Montgomery Baptist Association in 1975 to provide hotel rooms for out-of-town families facing medical crises — was suddenly bursting at the seams.
Praying to God
“By May 1, I had 13 families,” she said. “We got a lot of Tuscaloosa people because the Birmingham hospitals were full.”
Jones had one hotel at the time that was helping her place families, but she needed more.
“I remember driving up and down a main road in Montgomery praying, ‘God these are your families. I need a place for them to go.’”
She got two more hotels on board that day. All the hotel rooms are subsidized with donations so the families only pay a small fee — or even less, if they can’t afford it, Jones said. The hotels provide breakfast, and local volunteers run a casserole ministry.
And a few years ago, Samaritan Inn also got a three-bedroom house for families to use. Dozens of volunteer teams came together to renovate it and get it ready.
“Hundreds and hundreds of people saw the vision and helped make that possible,” Jones said. “Everything in the home has been donated, from electrical to plumbing to new furniture to appliances.”
This year, it has already provided a place for a dozen families to stay.
Love and compassion
“They’re just so blown away that someone cares. They always ask why,” Jones said. “I tell them this is what God has called us to do. We’re here to show love and compassion.”
For Jones, the ministry is personal. She gets to know the families, taking them gift bags, praying with them and offering whatever support she can. She remembers them all.
She remembers the truck driver’s family from Texas who came to stay a month after he was hospitalized in Montgomery. And she remembers a recent family that has gotten back in church because of the impact the ministry made on them.
“We just try to be there for these sweet families and show them the love of Jesus,” Jones said.
‘Secret sauce’
Neal Hughes, associational missionary/director of missions for Montgomery Association, said Jones is the “secret sauce” behind the work of Samaritan Inn.
“She leads with enthusiasm, compassion and administrative attention to scores of volunteers and has a ‘whatever it takes’ spirit that enables this ministry to thrive,” he said.
“We at the Montgomery Baptist Association are deeply grateful that God brought Debbie to lead Samaritan Inn’s charge.”
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