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Mark Brown started his new job as a cook in the Oliver Gospel Mission kitchen in August 2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.22″ custom_padding=”2px|0px|37.9062px|0px” bb_built=”1″ _i=”1″ _address=”1″][et_pb_row column_structure=”2_3,1_3″ _builder_version=”3.25″ custom_margin=”10px|||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|18.9531px|0px” _i=”0″ _address=”1.0″][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||” _i=”0″ _address=”1.0.0″][et_pb_text admin_label=”News Story” _builder_version=”3.29.3″ custom_margin=”0px||0px|” hover_enabled=”0″ text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” _i=”0″ _address=”1.0.0.0″]<\/p>\n
Twenty years after Mark Brown committed a double armed robbery in Greenwood, South Carolina,<\/span>\u00a0the former drug addict and alcoholic is back at the Oliver Gospel Mission, only this time he’s cooking in the kitchen and helping others receive the guidance he once needed so desperately.<\/p>\n It took him three separate attempts to successfully complete the mission’s six-month recovery program, but here he is 11 years later offering a hot meal, an encouraging word or a helpful Bible verse to the homeless and the down and out because he knows the struggles they’ve seen. Along with his testimony, Brown is spreading an infectiously optimistic attitude.<\/p>\n Brown served eight years in prison for robbing\u00a0two gas stations in his hometown. He hoped to steal enough money for about five grams of crack cocaine, his drug of choice at the time. He said back in those days he could go through that much in an hour or two, but what brings him joy now is much different.<\/p>\n \u201cI just wanted to live a wild and crazy life. I thought I was having fun, but really, I wasn\u2019t having any fun when I sit down and look at it now,\u201d Brown said. \u201cI saw there was no life in the way I was living. My children didn\u2019t want much to do with me and I wanted my kids back in my life. I knew I had to change.\u201d<\/p>\n Since his time behind bars, Brown has relied heavily on his Christian faith to resist temptation and create a new purpose for himself. He got involved in the prison\u2019s Bible studies early into his sentence and began teaching other inmates four years later.<\/p>\n He\u2019s only three months into his new job, but\u00a0Brown’s comeback story has already influenced men in the mission\u2019s six-month program that helps them recover from addiction and homelessness, start careers and adjust into society.<\/p>\n Lee Ball, who is currently going through the program at Oliver Gospel Mission,\u00a0said having someone around who has been through similar experiences makes all the difference in his recovery. Ball said he thinks\u00a0since Brown has his own sobriety story, he has compassion for pulling others out of the \u201cquicksand\u201d that is addiction.<\/p>\n \u201cIn this environment, a lot of us are still struggling. Maybe we\u2019re not quite there yet, we\u2019re just going through the motions. That can be discouraging to people when you\u2019re really trying, to have that negative cloud around you,\u201d Ball said. \u201cBut you\u2019ve got this positive guy constantly coming through throughout the day.\u201d<\/p>\n Ball\u00a0said\u00a0Brown has been helping him remain on the right track by introducing him to the Bible, praying for him and calling him out on his missteps. When Ball is overwhelmed with anger, Brown de-escalates the situation with verses from his pocket Bible. It was given to Brown during his first trip to the mission in 2008 and he still carries it with him everywhere he goes.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know you can rely on him and he\u2019s very fun to work with. His \u2018Woo!\u2019 all day. It really helps to get that mentality going,\u201d Ball said. \u201cTo see somebody who\u2019s been stuck in that negative rotation be able to stop and make it positive somehow, that gives me all the hope. If he can do it, then any of us can do it.\u201d<\/p>\n The \u201cWoo!\u201d Ball is referring to is just one of Brown\u2019s many catchphrases he repeats throughout the day. If you ask him how he is doing, he is more than likely\u00a0to respond with \u201cBlessed by the best, even in my mess.\u201d When something good happens to him, you\u2019ll hear a \u201cGood googly moogly!\u201d<\/p>\n Since his return, Brown, who earned the childhood nickname of “Spanky” for stealing his grandmother’s pies and getting repeated spankings, has been welcomed back by residents and staff of the mission and the homeless population in the area.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first time they saw me back they said, \u2018Spanky, what did you do now?\u2019 They thought I got in trouble again. I said, \u2018No, I\u2019m on the payroll this time.\u2019 You ought to have seen how their eyes lit up.\u201d<\/p>\n He stays on top of those he sees struggling, making sure they\u2019re spending their time and money wisely. If they want help, Brown\u00a0said he\u2019s available 24\/7 to have a conversation.<\/p>\n \u201cAll of them know where I live. I say, \u2018Hey, I\u2019m willing to help you. Instead of doing things that you know will get you in trouble, come on and talk with me,\u2019\u201d Brown said. \u201cWe\u2019ll go to McDonald\u2019s and get some coffee, eat a hamburger or something. Matter of fact, I\u2019ll cook you something at the house. We\u2019ll sit down and do a good Bible study.\u201d<\/p>\n Brown said it feels marvelous and gives him peace of mind to be able to use his experiences for the greater good, but that these people can only transform their lives if they decide and commit themselves.<\/p>\n \u201cNobody can do it but them. I can talk with them, I can be a witness to them, I can give them money, feed them and all that. But if you don\u2019t really get in your heart and your mind that you want to change, you\u2019re not going to change,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Keeping good company instead of hanging with old and problematic friends, getting a job, managing their money well and becoming involved in a church are some of the suggestions Brown gives to men at the mission looking for advice.<\/p>\n To make strides in his own right, Brown has been taking it one step at a time. During his third stay at Oliver Gospel Mission, he secured a dishwashing position at a restaurant that would allow for him to save up for his own apartment.<\/p>\n Brown’s most recent accomplishment is getting his driver\u2019s license back, but his favorite is reconnecting with his three children and meeting his three-year-old grandson, William, for the first time. Regaining a relationship with his family is his strongest motivation.<\/p>\n Future personal goals include getting his GED and a pickup truck – and, strangely enough, returning to prison.<\/p>\n \u201cI want to go back to Kershaw [Correctional Institution] and let them see me. Go to Kershaw and let them guys know, \u2018Hey man, look at Spanky. That man\u2019s doing real good.\u2019 That\u2019ll encourage them and make them really stay with it.\u201d<\/p>\n Brown wants to go back as soon as he can to talk with inmates and inspire them to turn their lives around, and he said he would visit any prison that would have him.<\/p>\n \u201cI want these guys to know that we can make it out there,\u201d he said. \u201cAll of them [at the mission] know I\u2019ve been in there a few times and they know the man I used to be, and they see how much I\u2019ve changed. They tell me that I\u2019m a good experience for them because of how things are coming together for me.\u201d<\/p>\n As for Oliver Gospel Mission, Brown plans on working in the kitchen until \u201cthe good Lord takes [him] home.\u201d At 61 years old, Brown\u00a0said he is going to live 60 more.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”|||” custom_padding__hover=”|||” _i=”1″ _address=”1.0.1″][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Mark-Brown-P1W_MB.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image 1″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ custom_margin=”||2px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”4px” box_shadow_vertical=”4px” _i=”0″ _address=”1.0.1.0″]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 1″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”8px|||2px” custom_padding=”|||” _i=”1″ _address=”1.0.1.1″]<\/p>\n Brown carries his small Bible in his pocket everywhere he goes. He frequently refers to it throughout the day to read verses.\u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Mark-Brown-P2W_MB.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image 2″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ custom_margin=”||2px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”4px” box_shadow_vertical=”4px” _i=”2″ _address=”1.0.1.2″]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 2″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”8px|||2px” custom_padding=”|||” text_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” text_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” link_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” link_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ul_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ul_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” ol_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” ol_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” quote_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” quote_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_2_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_2_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_3_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_3_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_4_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_4_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_5_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_5_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” header_6_text_shadow_horizontal_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_vertical_length_tablet=”0px” header_6_text_shadow_blur_strength_tablet=”1px” box_shadow_horizontal_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_vertical_tablet=”0px” box_shadow_blur_tablet=”40px” box_shadow_spread_tablet=”0px” _i=”3″ _address=”1.0.1.3″]<\/p>\n This is Brown’s first time coming back to Oliver Gospel Mission as a paid employee. He said he’s here to stay as long as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Mark-Brown-P3W_MB.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image 3″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ custom_margin=”||2px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”4px” box_shadow_vertical=”4px” _i=”4″ _address=”1.0.1.4″]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 3″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”8px|||2px” custom_padding=”|||” _i=”5″ _address=”1.0.1.5″]<\/p>\n Lee Ball is a current resident in the mission’s six-month recovery program. Ball says that Brown is a positive influence in his life.\u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”http:\/\/carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu\/test\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/Mark-Brown-P4W-blur_MB.jpg” show_in_lightbox=”on” show_bottom_space=”off” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Image 4″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ custom_margin=”||2px|” custom_padding=”|||” animation_style=”slide” box_shadow_style=”preset2″ box_shadow_horizontal=”4px” box_shadow_vertical=”4px” _i=”6″ _address=”1.0.1.6″]<\/p>\n <\/p>\n [\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”Caption 4″ _builder_version=”3.29.3″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_font_size=”12px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”8px|||2px” custom_padding=”|||” _i=”7″ _address=”1.0.1.7″]<\/p>\n Getting his driver’s license has been a major part of Brown getting his life back after prison. One of his next goals is to buy a truck.\u00a0<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Mark Brown went through the mission’s six-month recovery program three times before getting his life on track. 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