Consumed International Ministries bringing Hope Center Ministries recovery center to Hannibal

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Jessica Hawkins sees the hopelessness of addiction every day outside the windows from her desk at F&M Bank on Broadway in Hannibal.

“It’s heartbreaking to see people hurting like that. They look lost,” she said.

Hawkins, a member of Consumed International Ministries, is working with her church to bring hope to Hannibal through a partnership with Hope Center Ministries, a rehabilitation program for people with drug and alcohol addiction. It has locations in 13 states. The nearest Hope Center is in Sikeston, Mo. The United Kingdom has three locations.

Hawkins is serving as the coordinator of the project.

Corey Allen, senior pastor of Consumed International Ministries, also works with the ministry and nonprofit organization Mission 180. He said the Hope Center will impact Hannibal.

“Drug addiction is huge in Hannibal,” Allen said. “It has a lot to the do with the poverty, homelessness and crime. The addiction ends up turning into that.”

Through Mission 180, Allen works closely with at-risk children in the area along with other Hannibal organizations such as Douglass Community Services, Salvation Army and the Children’s Division to help with area hunger and foster families.  

The Hope Center will be a male-only facility that will house about 30 men in a location outside of city limits. The center will be located out of town to prevent easy access to friends or locations in town that could disrupt the residents’ progress.

Allen said the Hope Center is often recommended by judges and lawyers for people struggling with addiction.   

The year-long program implements three phases of rehabilitation. The first phase is to implement immediate focus on establishing Bible study, Christian group counseling and family and local church support. 

The second phase continues with the elements of the first phase but adds daily chores and a 40-hour per week vocational training, which also builds rapport with potential employers. 

The third phase allows more privileges, such as phone and car privileges, and preparation for life beyond graduation with financial counseling and securing a job.

“We will be helping the people in the Hope Center find jobs because, partially within the program as they get out working, they get some money. The Hope Center help them start with paying fines and getting child support caught up,” Allen said. “They will have community service hours, and that will also connect back to Mission 180, because those can be served locally.”

Allen said Consumed International Ministries must raise $160,000 and provide a home church for the Hope Center to get started. 

“After that, the resident will do everything. We do nothing but provide a support system, a home church. They come in and clean the church. They will come in and contact the judges and everyone in town that needs to be,” Allen said. “They allow the families to come to church and spend time with them. So we will also minister to and support the families.”

People who come into the program pay an initial cost of $700, which is returned upon graduation. For people who struggle to pay the fee, the Hope Ministry website says it has donors willing to contribute toward the admission fee. 

“It’s not about money with them. They have to come in, buy a place and set it up,” Allen said.

Allen and Hawkins already work to let people in need know about Hope Center by passing out cards and phone numbers. Allen usually can help place someone within a day or two. 

“We have Hope Centers we can send them to now, but they aren’t in Hannibal,” he said. “I just helped place a guy who is in Arizona. He will be in a Hope Center in Miami, so he has to go all the way to Florida.”

Fundraising for the Hannibal project will begin soon.

“We have a couple meet-and-greets planned that will include a meet-and-greet with Hannibal pastors for their support and prayers,” Allan said. “We are just getting started.”

A New Home for Consumed International Ministries

Consumed International Ministries also is moving to Hannibal.

The church, now in the building attached to the Silver Anchor restaurant in New London, Mo., will be moving to property behind Farm & Home on Palmyra Road in Hannibal where an existing large metal building will be renovated. The building will be about 8,000 square feet.

Work will begin once the city approves the church’s plans.

“We have two services now, and we have done a remodel at the New London church but already running out of space,” Allen said. “God has really blessed our church.”