Testimony of Marie Bovender

From Homelessness to Business Owner

I was married when I was 15 years old and had five children by the time I was 26. My marriage was rocky from the start. My husband had a bad temper and liked to drink. He was very abusive, and I was afraid what he might do to the kids and me.

One night he tried to kill me as he took me to the woods and put a gun to my head. When he pointed the gun at a tree and pulled the trigger, I knew God prevented him from killing me.

God had blessed me with Christian friends. They knew I needed help to protect my children and myself, so they helped us leave North Carolina. We loaded up on a bus going to Kent, Ohio. Leaving my hometown for the first time took a lot of prayer. Here I was with young children, no money, no job, and in a new city away from my family and friends...it was hard.

We were taken to Arkon, Ohio. Since this was a college town, housing and jobs were almost impossible to find. BUT, God blessed me with a job and an apartment within one week!

Then, after six weeks, my husband found out where we were and he let it be known he was coming with his "Saturday Night Special" to finish the job he had started! The staff at the home quickly moved us to Cleveland, Ohio. Here, the Lord allowed me to hear about Rev. Ernie Mills. The pastor called Bro. Ernie and told him about our situation. Rev. Mills said they didn't have a place for us, but thought they could find one. So, the shelter in Ohio arranged for us to come back to North Carolina.

It was a hot July day when we arrived in Durham. I was so excited to see how God would work ...until I saw where we were to stay! I was sure someone had made a mistake. The house was in terrible condition, and only males were living in it. We were given a small room without a lock and we had to share the bathroom, which didn't have a lock either, and the kitchen.

With a nine year old son and an 11 year old daughter, I couldn't leave them to hunt for a job. I went back to the Durham Rescue Mission and talked with Preacher Mills. He invited the children and me to dinner at his home.

After our meal, Bro. Mills asked me if I would have the devotions. I asked the Lord to show me what went wrong in us coming to Durham because I was sure this was where we were suppose to be. The Lord lead me to Isaiah 55. As I read it, Rev. Mills asked me what I thought it meant. I told him, "My thoughts were if He sent me, I would make it and things would turn out good." Then he said, "If He sent you to us, we will not turn you away." Since we were the first battered and abused family to come to the Durham Rescue Mission there was no place to house us, so Rev. and Mrs. Mills kept us in their own home!

Durham is another college town, but God provided for us again. In one week, I had a job and we had a place to live. After 14 months, I moved back to my hometown of Thomasville, N.C. It wasn't easy, but the Lord has always been there helping me through each problem I have faced. I found a job at Hardee's and became an Assistant Manager.

The Lord continued to bless. Soon I was able to buy a small place in High Point, and I opened my own restaurant. I owned it for 19 years. During that time, the Lord sent me a fine Christian husband.

Recently, I closed my restaurant and now we face a new road in our lives. We are waiting on the Lord to show us what He has planned for us. We are praying He will have something we can do together to serve Him until He calls us home.