In recovery, Naylor woman hopes to help others battle addiction

Kali Dawes was screaming at God when her telephone rang. A call from her grandmother had just interrupted the 33-year-old’s plan to take her own life.

The call was about a problem with her daughter’s homework. The child was in the care of Dawes’ grandmother as the Naylor woman continued to battle drug addiction.

“She said I was going to have to do something. I decided to go, thinking I would need to say goodbye,” said Dawes.

When she arrived, the family realized Dawes was in a bad place. Her daughter kept crying, Dawes recalled.

“They talked me into going to a revival that night and the people prayed for me. I was so messed up, but something happened to me. I made up my mind I wanted to live and promised my daughter I was going to change,” she says now, years later.

For Dawes, it had been rock bottom. She realized how badly she needed help, and she found a place to turn.

“I received help from God, the church and my family,” Dawes said, adding she went to church every time the doors were open. “I would go to every revival and Bible study I could find.”

She also immediately stopped hanging out with her old friends.

“I had to stay at home or at my grandparents’ house for a long time before I felt strong enough to start getting out,” Dawes said. “My grandmother loved and supported me through it all. I began building my relationship back with my daughter.

“I made up my mind I was never going to use again. Every day, I promised myself, I am not going to use today and every day, God gave me the strength to stay clean. I have never relapsed over the past seven years.”

She gave up everything, even cigarettes, because those made her want to use again too.

“I did not want to be that same girl. I wanted a total transformation and that is what God did for me,” she said.

“My life has drastically changed for the better,” Dawes continued. “I always wanted to know how it felt to enjoy life without drugs. I was so jealous of people who could do that. My relationship with my daughter is amazing. We have lots of fun together.”

Dawes worked several different jobs while putting her life back together.

“After I got clean, I was in between jobs, trying to figure out my next step,” she said. “My cousin hired me to clean her house. I started picking up more cleaning jobs through word of mouth.”

It also offered a flexible schedule and helped her go back to school.

“My friends, family and clients are extremely supportive of me. I am blessed with a wonderful church family at Cornerstone Tabernacle in Poplar Bluff,” Dawes said. “My pastor and his wife, Rev. Stephen and Melody Burns, have been an instrumental part of the growth in my life. They have loved, encouraged, and mentored me through some very tough time.”

After cleaning up her life, Dawes still wanted more.

“In 2015, I was praying about what I was supposed to do, and I felt led to start a jail ministry,” she said.

She asked the Ripley County sheriff if she could talk to women in jail and “share my testimony about being delivered from drugs. I really wanted to lift up and encourage other women recovery is possible.”

The first time she talked at the jail, “I knew this was what I was supposed to do. I could connect with these women on many levels. The opportunity arose for a few ladies from my church and I to start holding services in the Butler County jail.”

They would pray, sing and teach a lesson.

“We would discuss topics such as forgiveness, family relationships, goal setting, healing from the past and more,” she said. “We had some of the most amazing services and many women’s lives were touched.

COVID-19 stopped jail visits March 12, 2020, but the group hopes to be able to return.

Dawes saw greater needs at the jail.

“I started attempting to work with the women when they were released,” she said.

Her plans started with wanting a daytime center and grew to opening a recovery home/center to serve as transitional housing for women leaving prison.

“I met numerous women who had no place to go when they were released, or if they did, it was not a safe place. For many women, their families are the bad relationships that keep them in trouble,” she said.

The desire to open a recovery home and the encouragement of her pastor and his wife helped Dawes decide to go to college.

“They said it would open doors for me and boost my confidence to achieve my goals. I thought there was absolutely no way I could go to college. I thought it would be impossible. I finally gave in and it was the best decision I ever made,” she said.

She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Three Rivers College in 2019 with an associate’s degree in general education.

A two-time recipient of a P.E.O. scholarship, she currently is attending Southeast Missouri State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in social work. She has 4.0 GPA and received the 2020 Debbie Collins Memorial Scholarship. She was recently inducted into the Phi Alpha Honor Society.

“I will graduate in December 2021,” Dawes said. “I plan to go on for my MSW and LCSW.”

After graduation, she plans to become an accredited substance abuse counselor through the state. There are many areas of social work Dawes finds interesting.

“I would like to be involved in creating programs that benefit the community. My big dream always has been to open some type of center for women. I realize there are a couple homes and programs in this area, however I know the need is great for effective available resources,” she said.

Two years ago, Dawes started a women’s recovery meeting named “Surrounded” at church for all women who are battling any addiction or other barriers keeping them from living a healthy life. Childcare and transportation to meetings are provided.

“I want to encourage women in my community and provide a safe place to get connected to caring people,” Dawes said. “I want to tell parents and grandparents to not give up on their family members who are battling addiction.

“It is possible for the seemingly most hopeless people to overcome and change their lives. Do not stop praying for them. My sweet little granny never stopped praying for me and I believe that is the reason I am still here today.”

For information on Surrounded, contact Cornerstone Tabernacle.