House Of Refuge Ministry... Swift Bio

Helen Swift is originally from Oklahoma where she completed her BA degree in Sociology at Langston, University. Familiar with church traditional form and fashion, upon leaving college Helen discovered a tremendous void in her life. Searching for the answers to fill the void that tradition could not, Helen was filled with the Holy Ghost at the age of twenty-two. She soon married and along with her husband she was ordained to preach the gospel.

Truly committed to not being ordinary preachers, Helen and her husband sought God to become deliverers. However Helen was not aware of the satanic assignment against her marriage, her sanity and the ministry. This vicious attack from the enemy sent Helen on a journey that has caused many to turn to drugs, alcohol and even suicide. Helen lost her home, her mother, her job and even her marriage in Satan’s attempt to silence her but the God of all Grace who always causes us to triumph has brought her out of great tribulation.

Helen is the Pastor and founder of the House of Refuge in Newark, DE and the proud mother of three sons. She is also the author of The Assignment, One More River To Cross, But Lord I Can’t Swim and the poems used for the cards and plaques. Helen freely shares her journey to expose the tools of darkness and set the captives free and assure all that though we may be tried by fire, we will come forth as PURE GOLD.

	Behind The Mask Thank God we have Maybelline Fashion Fair and the like All the cosmetics known to man To help us look just right We wear our stilettos, wigs, braids and weaves And all the many things that we can buy That’s supposed to enhance our self-esteem Because we must accomplish so much before we die Some of us are professional women And some maids, housewives and cooks We have nice cars and even nice homes And many are impressed by the way we look But I had a dark, dark secret One you couldn’t see on my face My self esteem was severely shattered By all the abuse I had learned to take I lived in fear behind a mask That was not plain for others to see My life had constantly been shattered By consistent infidelity Yet, by God’s grace I raised my children And even preached the gospel to man But no one could see beyond my mask Shielding the horrendous pain I was in I helped so many others With the problems in their lives But since everyone saw me as strong Well, my pain I had to hide The mask got way to heavy And my prison I could no longer bare I had to stop helping others And concentrate on my own welfare It took some time and a lot of tears To change the way I was But the God I serve stayed so near And surrounded me with His love Now I no longer wear my mask That hindered me from being free Because in spite of all the outward adornment The person you see now, is truly ME.