About Us
About Mark and Nikki
Nikki is passionate about Jesus and people. She loves cooking for others and hosting them in her home, sharing meals around the table. Enjoying good coffee in a beautiful location near the water brings her joy. Nikki finds fulfillment in sharing life with others and helping them feel a sense of belonging. Embracing people for who they are is integral to making them feel valued and accepted.
Nikki feels honored to be married to Mark and to serve alongside him. As a Salvation Army Officer (Pastor) for 26 years, she has been stationed at the Garden of Hope since 2023. It’s a good fit for her, as she has always believed that her purpose is to bring hope to all people, guiding them towards a life beyond their current circumstances.
Together with Mark, Nikki shares her life with their two dogs and is grateful for the support of their family in all their endeavors.
After 28 years of struggling with addiction, moving all over Australia and New Zealand, and never feeling like he belonged, Mark faced a pivotal moment in 2007. While working the night shift as a driller in the Pilbara, WA, he was involved in a head-on car accident that left him badly injured and on workers' compensation. He had struggled with depression most of his life, to the point of not being able to work, and as his mental health deteriorated, Mark's addictions picked up pace. After receiving a large payout in 2010, it continued to get worse until he had destroyed all of his close relationships. He hit rock bottom, losing everything he had in 2012 and ending up homeless on the streets of Perth then in jail.
The turning point was being sent into the Salvation Army Bridge program by the courts, at the Harry Hunter Centre in Gosnells. This allowed Mark to be still, and to heal mentally, and physically through Counselling classes and work therapy. But he honestly believes it was the spiritual part of the program where the miracle happened, through understanding forgiveness and grace. Many hours of seeking a relationship with God through prayer and meditation transformed Mark, as he had always felt like something was missing. Finally surrendering and admitting he was broken and needed help was key, then letting people (The Salvation Army) love him. He always tells people he was loved into God's kingdom.
In late 2013 God told him in a dream to start the Garden of Hope, He didn’t know anything about gardening or even like it! Over the last 11 years, it has grown into an amazing space for building community. He is still not that keen on Gardening, but because he was lost and felt like he didn’t belong for so long, Mark's heart is shaped towards creating a space where everybody belongs, Just Come as you are, and all are welcome at the table.
Mark has been clean and sober for over 12 years now and all of his relationships with his family have been restored. He has worked with the Salvation Army for almost 12 years, from scrubbing the toilets in the men’s homeless shelter, a support worker at the Beacon (crisis accommodation in Northbridge) Garden coordinator. To now being a Salvation Army officer/ Garden of Hope mission leader, where he has the blessing of watching lives being transformed. All we have to do is love them.