LEWISTON, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- At the site of an old bar in downtown Lewiston, a new light shines for the city's homeless, addicted and lonely.
Cell 53 is a ministry that started in Pastor Andrew March's living room. He wanted to do more than just talk about God; he wanted to help change the city. "The original vision of this place was, 'let's use this building as a hub so we can connect with people personally and share our lives with them,'" says March. "So it's not just about serving people in the building, it's about making connections with them through life."
March and his partners started offering barbecues in Kennedy Park for anyone who was hungry. They recently acquired an old bar on Lisbon Street, which they've turned into a meeting place. Anyone can stop in for a hot meal, coffee, any warm clothing they may need, or just to talk.
March says the help stems deeper, though. "We partner with another group here to make sure if somebody's on drugs, getting them the help they need and then being there for them so you're not just doing a handout, it's a life on life thing where we're willing to invest our lives in someone else. It's not just oh, come over here on a Tuesday or Thursday and we'll give you a jacket and send you on your way. We're willing to walk through life with you."
"You kind of look at the city, you look at downtown Lewiston, everybody has their opinion about downtown Lewiston, but the real question is, what are you going to do about it?"
March works a full-time job and has a family, but still takes time to help those who stop in work on their resume; find a job; find a home; or get the help they need to leave bad situations. "Five years from now we want the reputation of downtown Lewiston to be a place where people are working, they're healthy, they've got healthy families and people love God and love each other."
The ministry has been collecting clothing and buying toys, and basic necessities that they'll be handing out to families on Christmas Eve.
