The Least of Them: the Story of the House of Mercy

By Ethel M. Harris Russaw

The Least of Them is an inspi-documentary account of how a dedicated and beleiving black woman organized and managed a shelter for homeless and hungry people. Accounts of near miracle events in the maintenance of the shelter can be an inspiration to those who dream to serve in spite of odds.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 11, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477276297

Ethel M. Harris Russaw

Dr. Ethel H. Russaw is the oldest child of John Gus and Ocie Mae Guice Harris. Her inspiration for writing The Least of Them came from observing her mother’s unusual dedication, extraordinary faith and exceptional fortitude in working with the homeless and hungry people of Columbus, Georgia. The book was written to inspire others to keep believing in their dreams.

Book preview

CONTENTS

Preface To The

Second Edition

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1    A Very Special Little Girl

Chapter 2    A Champion

Chapter 3    Columbus, Georgia

Chapter 4    The Vision

Chapter 5    The House Of Mercy—1976

Chapter 6    The House Of Mercy—1992

Chapter 7    The House Of Mercy—2012

Chapter 8    The Family/Unsung Heroes

Chapter 9    The House Of Mercy People

Chapter 10    The House Of Mercy—Tomorrow

Reflection

About The Author

Ocie Harris on Phone @ HOM.jpg

The Founding Director of The House of Mercy

PREFACE TO THE

SECOND EDITION

Twenty years ago, The Least of Them was written to document the story of The House of Mercy which is located in Columbus, Georgia. Since that time, 1992, The House of Mercy remains a functioning beacon of hope to homeless and hungry people. The second edition of The Least of Them is a reprint of the original book plus highlights of changes and improvements in The House of Mercy since 1992. To facilitate clarity, the changes and improvements are presented in a new chapter, The House of Mercy-2012. In the second edition, I make minor corrections, such as the name of the toddler in Chapter 2 who was Jimmy instead of Tommy and insert appropriate scriptures (from The Holy Bible, King James Version) for each chapter. As well, writing this second edition gives me the opportunity to justify the liberal or maybe, excessive use of quotation marks in the text. In addition to using quotation marks for direct quotes, I also use quotation marks to emphasize the unique or colloquial nature or context of certain words and phrases. Operational definitions for some of these words and phrases are provided in Exhibit B.

Perhaps the major change in The House of Mercy operation is the passing of the torch of leadership necessitated by the death of the founder and first director, Mrs. Ocie M. Harris, affectionately known as Mother Harris. Mrs. Theola Barrow (daughter of the late director) assumed the role of Director of The House of Mercy following the death of Mother Harris, March 21, 1994.

As reflected in the story of The House of Mercy, Mrs. Barrow served with Mother Harris from the inception of the ministry called The House of Mercy. Mrs. Barrow faithfully continued the legacy of The House of Mercy until November 2006 when she retired from full-time service as the director. She continues to volunteer in the work of The House of Mercy. The Board of Directors appointed Elder Bobby D. Harris as Director of The House of Mercy in 2006. The legacy of service to the homeless and hungry and to the community of Columbus, Georgia continues under the leadership of Elder Harris (the son of the late director) and his wife, Evangelist Johanne’ Harris.

Deep appreciation is given to The House of Mercy staff who provided information to make this second edition of The Least of Them possible.

I give honor and praise to God.

Ethel H. Russaw

Chicago, Illinois

September 2012

FOREWORD

Sister Ocie Harris joined the Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church, Columbus, Georgia in February 1973. She was a dedicated and studious member of the Sunday School. She was very inquisitive as to how to put the Word into action. She was particularly moved by a lesson we had on faith. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen.—Hebrews 11:1. Faith is taking God at His Word.

Being associated with the Columbus Public Housing Authority, Sister Harris saw a need for people who had been evicted from their homes and people who lacked the physical necessities to sustain them. Because of her faith, God gave her a vision to do more for the homeless and hungry people in our city. She started The House of Mercy ministry.

Our church has supported Sister Harris both collectively and individually in her calling to serve the homeless and hungry. Churches of all races and religions in the surrounding area of the Chattahoochee Valley have supported The House of Mercy. Sister Ocie Harris has realized a dream come true. The entire community is thankful to God for using Sister Harris as His instrument to make a project such as The House of Mercy be helpful to so many people. Only God can take nothing (Sister Harris had virtually nothing when she started The House of Mercy) and make something of it. No wonder The House of Mercy has been and still is a beacon of light in our community. The House of Mercy represents compassion; and, who was more compassionate to people in need than Jesus Christ.

God bless The House of Mercy and Sister Ocie Harris.

Reverend James C. Harris, Pastor

Mount Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church

Columbus, Georgia

June 1992

FOREWORD

I first met Mrs. Ocie Harris in 1976. I had bought several buildings on Broadway in downtown Columbus that year. Mrs. Harris called me up one day wanting to look at a small building that I had vacant at the time.

When I first started talking to her about what she was looking for I thought I had wasted a trip downtown. Here was this plainly dressed black woman with her disabled husband in tow. Their main source of support was a social security check each month. As she started to tell me about a vision that she had several years earlier, I became even more sure that I had wasted a trip. I don’t know what it was about her that caused me to go against my first impression and try to help her get started. Maybe, it was because she reminded me of Don Quixote and had an impossible dream that deserved a chance to come true; or, maybe it was because she inspired me to want to help her fellow man. Whatever it was, I agreed to lease to her a building.

As we began to discuss lease terms, rental payments and security deposits, I could tell this was not the type of deal that was going to make me the Donald Trump of Columbus. Mrs. Harris had barely enough money to get the doors open. But, it was evident that she had found a niche that needed filling. If this had been a profit-making business, she would be a multi-millionaire by now. The needy flooded in from day one; they haven’t stopped. I never knew there were so many needy people in the city of Columbus. And, it was not just homeless men off the streets, either. There were battered women, sick and hungry children and displaced families. Most showed up with only the clothes on their backs.

Because the first building she rented was small and had no facilities for live-in residency, Mrs. Harris began by just providing meals for the street people. I happened to be downtown early one morning and was amazed to see men crawling out from under bushes in the median of Broadway where they spent the night and head over to The House of