A Clean Start
For years, I couldn’t shake a calling that kept returning to me in quiet moments and restless nights. It wasn’t complicated, and it wasn’t grand in the way people usually imagine a “vision.” It was simple: people needed a place to shower.
In 2019, that idea began to take shape through recurring dreams. I kept seeing people who were struggling, people with no place to clean up, no way to restore even a small sense of dignity. Each time I woke up, the message was the same. I was being called to help. At first, I tried to ignore it. I told myself I didn’t have the money, the experience, or the resources. I explored the idea of opening a fixed location where people could come to shower, but the reality quickly became overwhelming. I acquired a possible location, but the cost of repairs was more than I could manage, and zoning restrictions ultimately made it impossible to offer free showers from a residential property. That’s when the idea shifted. Instead of asking people to come to the showers, what if the showers could go to them?
The concept of a mobile shower changed everything. It meant meeting people where they already were—near shelters, churches, libraries, and outreach centers—without barriers or conditions. I began researching mobile shower units everywhere: online, through outreach organizations, rental companies, and disaster relief groups. Everything I found was far outside my budget. But help started arriving in unexpected ways. Through faith, persistence, and community connections, the pieces slowly came together. A church made a bathroom unit donation, and later I was able to purchase a trailer capable of holding the unit, the water, and the weight required to transport it safely. Then came another hurdle.
After a local business owner used heavy equipment to properly place the unit on the trailer, we ran into an issue getting hot water to function correctly. I contacted numerous plumbers, trying to figure out how to connect the instant hot water heater and generator in a way that would work. Eventually, I met a young man with the right skills—and once he stepped in, everything finally came together. The unit worked. We had hot water. That moment was overwhelming. The mobile shower was no longer just an idea—it was real.
Around that same time, support from local churches began to pour in. New Zion Baptist Church helped start us off with our first monetary donation and also donated towels, underwear, soap, and other essentials. St. Luke CME Church of Ozan, Arkansas followed with additional donations. These gifts were more than supplies—they were confirmation that this mission mattered.
With the unit operational, I began reaching out to churches and community centers, handing out flyers and asking if we could set up at their locations to provide free showers. The first organization to respond was the Salvation Army, who welcomed us and invited us to use their space. That partnership marked the beginning of regular service.
Today, the mobile shower exists for one purpose: to restore dignity. A shower may seem like a small thing, but it allows someone to feel human again. It gives people confidence, improves health, and opens doors to opportunities many of us take for granted. This mission has never been about me. It has always been about responding when a need is placed in front of you, and trusting that the rest will come together.
Sometimes, changing a life starts with something as simple, and as powerful, as a shower.
How to Support the Mobile Shower Ministry
All monetary donations are tax deductible and can be made in the following ways.
Regions Bank
The Mariah House PayPal
Mail or deliver donations to Darein Hatcher, 512 Grand Avenue, Texarkana, Arkansas 71854
For more information, call 903-949-8260
You can also find us serving the community here:
Salvation Army—Mondays & Thursdays, 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Texarkana Library—Saturdays, 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.
