Mel Trotter Ministries

Description

Mel Trotter Ministries exists to demonstrate the compassion of Jesus Christ toward the hungry, homeless and hurting of the greater Grand Rapids area. They seek, through the power of Christ, to bring an end to homelessness in West Michigan, one life at a time.

History

Born in 1870 in Orangeville, IL to an alcoholic-bartending father and a Christian mother, Melvin E. Trotter had little schooling. By age 19, he was drinking and gambling heavily. In 1891, he met and married Lottie Fisher. Sadly, Mel continued to drink and gamble, causing his family to lack necessities. Following ten days of a drinking binge, Mel went home and found that his two year old son had died. He promised his wife he’d never drink again, but in just two hours he broke his vow. Abandoning his family, Mel ended up homeless and suicidal in Chicago. On his way to drown himself, Mel was pulled inside the Pacific Garden Rescue Mission. There he heard of God’s redemption of another alcoholic and accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord.

Through Christ, Mel conquered his addiction and claimed 2 Corinthians 5:17 as his favorite verse: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.” Mel quickly found a job, was reunited with his wife, and became very active at the Mission. In January of 1900, he went with the Mission’s superintendent to Grand Rapids, MI. There, Mel became the superintendent of a new Mission. On February 24, 1900, it opened at 95 Canal Street.