MOULTRIE, Ga. — The Rev. Cornelius Ponder and the Greater Newton Grove Cathedral are looking for volunteers to help complete the renovation of The REAL Compassion House homeless shelter. 

According to Ponder, the REAL (Restoration, Edification and Love) Compassion House originated from a need he saw one cold morning 15 years ago. He recalled his first acknowledgements of the need, and said he knew he needed to do something. 

“About 15 years ago, I started [the] homeless shelter. I was laying in my bed one morning at about six o’clock that morning, and it was 13 degrees that morning. My spirit just came to me, and was [like] how blessed I was to be able to be home in a cozy bed and someone was out there freezing,” Ponder said in an interview on Thursday, May 26. 

“Immediately that day, I got up and I couldn’t do it — I couldn’t overlook them anymore,” he said.

Ponder told some of the members of Greater Newton Grove Cathedral that they would be opening the doors of one of their church buildings to the homeless. They had planned to welcome anyone who was homeless that night, and as Ponder described, “It was life-changing.”

About six people showed up their first night of having their doors open — up to 15 people showed up that first year. 

Most of those who showed up were men of various races. They have also had some women show up as well. 

That shelter was temporary as a response to a particularly cold winter. Currently, the church does not have a shelter running. 

But Ponder said the church is working on it. An old house is being renovated so that it may serve as the REAL Compassion House. The location will house eight men and will have a program and strict rules set in order to help its occupants make progress in life. 

Ponder said the church initially expected to open the house around the first of June, but it has experienced a drought of needed volunteers to complete the project. In addition, many of the expenses are out-of-pocket, so donations and volunteers would be appreciated. 

If you are interested in volunteering or giving donations, you may contact Ponder at (229) 798-0902.