Christians Who Care

Couple who overcame their own demons now help others

Freed from their own addictions, Dustin and Connie Roney created a ministry to help others who face similar battles.

Christians Who Care was created to reach out to those affected by drug use. The Roneys know from their own experiences the damage addiction can cause. Their mission is to break the cycle and change lives by sharing the gospel and love of Jesus Christ.

The Roneys and Christians Who Care were recently recognized as Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass and presented with a check for $1,000 — which they say will go toward buying items to help those in need. Silent Heroes of the Wiregrass is a monthly award given to people and organizations making the Wiregrass a better place. The recognition, created through a partnership between Wiregrass Electric Cooperative and WTVY, is funded by Operation Round Up.

At the ministry’s location, 312 W. Magnolia Ave. in Geneva, the Roneys host gatherings every other Friday. Those events include a warm meal, music and worship.

Christians Who Care has given hundreds of Bibles to those who visit as well as jackets, blankets, socks and hygiene items. A community Thanksgiving feast has grown to serve more than 100 people. The ministry collects seasonal items for backpacks for individuals experiencing homelessness and others in need. The building also has shower and laundry facilities for people to use.

But the Roneys hope to do more than satisfy physical needs. They hope the ministry satisfies a spiritual need as well.

“I think prayer is the biggest thing that we can offer to anyone that needs it,” Connie says.

Connie says she was finally freed from a 13-year methamphetamine addiction after she found herself prostrate in her mother’s home — praying, crying and pleading for hours that God would take her pain.

She believes God freed her from her addiction, and she’s had no desire to use drugs since. And she believes faith is the answer for others.

For Dustin, the turning point was finding out the couple had a daughter on the way. Now, Dustin says their purpose is to help others be delivered from addiction, to help restore families and to help fathers and mothers be better parents to their children.

They follow what they see as the heart of the teachings of Jesus Christ — touch the untouchable, reach the unreachable and love the unlovable.

“God didn’t discount me, he didn’t discount her or any of us because we made bad choices,” Dustin says. “The only difference between us and them, even now, is just the grace of God in our lives.”