Editorial written by a member of the Herald Sun Staff

The Herald-Sun
Nov 29, 2004

Those down on their luck who grasp Ernie Mills' outstretched hand enter the Durham Rescue Mission for food, warmth and shelter. They are on the inside looking out of a remarkable accomplishment that over 30 years has matured into a Durham institution. Those on the outside looking in, and there are thousands of them, see a social services operation that works wonders without government aid.

When Ernie and Gail Mills started their ministry in East Durham, the future didn't look very auspicious. As Ernie put it, "You've heard of fiberglass insulation. We had glass insulation" -- a reference to the mission's unheated building at 1301 East Main St. There was nothing funny about glass insulation in the early years.

Soon, the Durham Rescue Mission will open a shelter for homeless women and children in the former Durham Inn at Avondale Drive and Interstate 85. A haven for prostitutes and criminals is being recycled into a sturdy refuge.

The Millses are not patsies. Their welcome has an extraordinarily wide reach, but anyone who agrees to the rules for living at the Durham Rescue Mission is expected to help sustain it. That may come as a kitchen worker or a groundskeeper, -- but it will be something dedicated to improving the mission and the person.

Ernie Mills is a Baptist preacher, which means the Durham Rescue Mission is an unabashed believer in the transforming potential of the Gospel. No one, however, is forced to "get religion" at the mission as a condition of staying there, which can be up to a year

Ernie and Gail Mills will tell you their success is God's work. We are not presumptuous enough to dispute that, but any organization that provides almost 180,000 meals a year has capable managers behind it. The Millses came to Durham knowing no one; now everyone knows them. What they have achieved in 30 years is a testament to the determination of the human spirit and, we hope, prologue to an even greater future.