Chaplain Leroy & Monique Passmore's Love Story
"What God has joined together, let no man separate."
Mark 10:9
It was on December 4, 2012 that Monique would receive the gift of life at UMC Hospital. She was bound by kidney failure and what seem like a 6 month death sentence. God's grace preserved her as she underwent 2 years of dialysis treatments. After she gave her life to Jesus Christ, she devoted herself to serve as a Hope Chaplain these past 7 years. It was through her sickness that she found her love for Christ and for souls to come to Him.
Leroy shared his personal testimony: "It was in 2015 that I entered the Victory Outreach Men's Victory Home, where I began a road to new hope, healing and restoration. I was once homeless, living in a foreclosed home, but the Lord lifted me up and turned it all around. Two years later, I met Monique as we were serving in separate ministries at church. She was serving in Children's Ministry and I just graduated from the Victory Home. I then entered a Discipleship Home, where I started to disciple men. Although we served in different ministries, we had a mutual relationship, which was Monique's father, Chaplain Manny Rivera.
I had been Manny's disciple and was being mentored by him in church. I found out that Monique was his daughter when one day, he picked me up and brought me to a Hope Chaplain meeting where I saw Monique there. I was overtaken by the Chaplains who embraced me. I immediately had a love for this ministry and eventually became a Chaplain.
A year and six months went by as I spent time with Manny and Monique and visited patients at the hospital, as well as serving together at church. My friendship with Monique grew stronger as we served the Lord together. I began to see Monique's passion for souls and her heart to minister and pray for the patients.
The Lord allowed a new thing to take place in our lives, as we grew closer together. We developed a liking to one another although we did not voice it to each other right away. As our relationship progressed, we decided to take some time to separate and seek God for direction if this was His plan for our lives.
We then endured a very difficult trial in our lives. In August, 2017 Monique's mother passed away. During this ordeal, I was there for Monique's family and God used this time to bring us closer together as a couple.
Monique and I got married on October 21, 2018 at UMC Hospital Chapel, where we both received so many gifts from God: Monique receiving life, our blessed marriage and starting our journey to greater heights together. On April 27, 2019, we shared a celebration service of our marriage with family and friends! The rest is HIS STORY!"
