Celebrate Recovery was blessed Thursday night by the testimony of Vella Thornhill a victim of domestic violence. Mrs. Thornhill is a paraplegic as a result of a beating.

She spoke with such grace and dignity about being beaten with a two by four and being pushed out of a two-story window and beaten again throughout her body again with a two by four, while she lay on the ground.  As a result of the beatings she had five brain concussions and multiple broken bones.  She lay there in semi-consciousness for forty-five minutes before an ambulance was called.  

Mrs. Thornhill said as a result of her suffering and injuries she made up her mind while she was recuperating in the hospital to go to Washington, D. C. and testify before Congress about domestic violence.

Mrs. Thornhill did not seem bitter as many might be.  She has made her life meaningful by talking to others about domestic violence and about how God can heal the heart.

She offered to pray with anyone who wanted to come to the alter when it was time for alter call.  People streamed up the aisles to where she sat and kneeled there with their arms around each other as they all prayed silently together.

The whole night was a touching event.

There was a record number of newcomers and some were directly from Jackson County jail as a result of receiving some Celebrate Recovery pamphlets that had been left there and delivered to the men as well as the women.  One young man turned his life over to Christ there in a cell while he and an older man read about Celebrate Recovery and prayed together.  

A Celebrate Recovery officer will give those on probation a statement saying they attended Celebrate Recovery and this counts the same as attending an NA or AA meeting.

Celebrate Recovery meets every Thursday at The Mercy Place, fellowship hall of First United Methodist Church on Broad Street.  The meeting begins with a free meal at 5:30 and the worship service starts at 6:20.  Small groups meet at 7:15.

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