Two men are telling their life stories in hope that they will be able to make a difference.
Benjamin Rhodes, Director of Highway and Hedges, and Montez Powell partnered with Refuge Temple Ministries, using their traumatic life events to transform the minds and hearts of the community.
Based out of Houston, Texas. This movement has traveled to Monroe, Lake Charles, Beaumont, Dallas, and now coming to the Lafayette Community September 23rd through 25th to host a “Community March of Hope” as well as a 3 Day Revival!
Here’s what inspired the Louisiana natives to create change.
Growing up in Alexandria Rhodes started drinking at just five years old and tells KATC that he walked in on his stepfather nearly killing his mother on Father's Day.
Montez Powell, who grew up in what he calls a "poor family of ten," tells us he often dealt with violent people and even led authorities on high-speed chases.
Now the two gentlemen are looking to transform the lives of others.
On fathers day Rhodes says just as he was about to open the door to hearing his mother scream out for help when he noticed his stepfather pointing a gun at his mother's face. Immediately Rhodes pulled out his firearm shooting his stepfather to death. One of those bullets went through his dad striking his mother without killing her.
Rhodes served nearly three months before the grand jury removed the second-degree murder charge and dropped his convicted felon of a firearm charge to an illegal carrying of a fire arm charge.
Rhodes says this traumatizing event caused him to resort to drugs and attempted suicide, until he joined an organization his mother was a member of called "Highways and Hedges."
This is the exact story of Highway and Hedges director Benjamin Rhodes, one worth telling.
"This happened June 15th, 2008 on Father's Day the last time I was being reported by this news station. my face was on the news being wanted for murder because I was on the run but I'm here today because God has changed me, he has done something different for me," Rhodes said.
