Article this week written up at al.com

Working in downtown Montgomery as an accountant, she crunched plenty of numbers sitting behind a desk and in front of a computer screen.
Now, though, she focuses more on counting the numbers of homeless and poor who walk through her downtown mission each day, the number of donations of food and clothing received each day and the number of smiles she can put on people’s faces each day.
Brendle operates One Church Mission at 515 S. Court St. The mission is open daily from 1- 6 p.m. and provides Bible study, food, clothes, showers and washing facilities to the homeless and poor. Worship services are conducted Sunday and Wednesday at 6 p.m. and Friday at 3 p.m.“About 100 people are hearing God’s word every night,” she said. “It is about people knowing Jesus Christ. That is our motivation.” In her four years or so working closely with the homeless and poor, Brendle said she has learned many things about the population.
“I was surprised at how loving and caring they are,” she said with tears coming to her eyes. “When I opened this, I had more people helping me who were homeless and poor than the church.”
Brendle was told by a pastor friend that 40 percent of adult homeless grew up as orphans, and she believes it. She hears the same story over and over again.
She was also surprised by the number of homeless who suffer from a mental illness and are unable to manage their disability checks. A number of veterans also are living on the streets due to addictions.
But, Brendle has seen a difference being made in people’s lives through her ministry.

“They seem happier,” she said. “They have more hope and without hope you can’t do anything.”

Phillip Clark  (pictured right with Ladonna) has known Brendle for about two years and comes to the mission regularly. He likes to talk and help Brendle with tasks around the old home while he is there.
“It helps me get closer to God,” he said. “It helps me mingle with others and share my testimony.”
Clark said the mission also gives him access to social services that he needs.
In October 2008, Brendle formed Truth and Reality Ministries, a non-profit organization, to spread the word of God to the homeless and the poor of downtown Montgomery. That quickly led to the nightly feeding of the poor.
Others working with the homeless community think Brendle operates a feeding ministry.
Pastor Vincent Rosato, of Friendship Mission, said Brendle started by feeding the homeless prepackaged meals out of the truck of her car at Overlook Park.
Brendle said that is partially true. One day she was sitting in front of her computer screen at work and realized she didn’t enjoy her job anymore. She had always enjoyed her career working as an accountant so she reached out to God to get answers. “I felt like I was supposed to do something different,” Brendle said.
Working downtown and teaching in her church, Brendle said she knew there was a need to bring the word of God to the poor. After much prayer, that is exactly what she did.
She started by teaching Bible study and providing a meal at a downtown church. She would come across the homeless and soon realized that they had more than just a hunger for God. They didn’t have access to food in the evening. No one downtown was providing dinner to the poor and homeless at the time.
Brendle admitted that the task was more than she wanted to do at the time. She went back to God to ask if that was a need she was supposed to help meet.
She quickly got her answer and in addition to a weekly Bible study began providing prepackaged meals to people at Overlook Park more than two years ago. Brendle used her own money and collected food and money from her friends to provide food. “Before I knew it people were bringing meals every night,” she said.
Brendle said each night at dinner she would pray with those needing food and ask them what their needs were.
A lot of people prayed for jobs, she said, and a lot of people got them.
Brendle said she remembers trying to help one man in particular who was looking for a job. She offered to take him to her church where they had a job exchange program.
The man stopped her and told her to look at him, Brendle said. He said he needed a shower, a haircut and clothes.

That is when Brendle decided to change her mission to offer more than just spiritual nourishment. She decided to try to meet all of the needs of the homeless and poor.
After using the facilities at River City Church in downtown Montgomery for a time, Reality and Trust Ministry decided to find a home for One Church Mission. It has operated out of its current location for more than a year.

(Joyce Sweatt pictured left helps with the distribution of clothing- homeless and those in need can come and get clothing no questions asked.)

Next month, Brendle hopes the mission will be operating out of its new 9,000-square-foot facility on Montgomery Street. The ministry purchased the building in August and has been relying on volunteer labor to do the renovations. The new building was paid for mostly through donations from family and friends, she said. Three area churches and some businesses also support the mission by providing money and food. Most of the clothes and home goods are donated by individuals.
Brendle said the new location will have a large dining room for meals and Bible study, several showers and washing machines and lockers for the homeless to keep their possessions and a free coffee house for the community.