Paul, a worker at the Mission, recalls a recent success story with the Men’s Program:
When I was first hired here back in 2006, I worked the graveyard shift. Dan, who was pretty young, was staying at the Mission, and was causing a lot people grief. One morning he started cussing me out for trying to talk to him. I had to ask him to leave. On his way out the door, he assaulted me. A couple of hours later, he chased me around the Mission, swinging a skateboard; thankfully he couldn’t catch up to me. He did end up getting arrested for the attack, as well as other assaults he’d committed.
A year ago I received a call from a well-known Pastor friend of mine, and he wanted to talk to me about how Dan had given his life to Jesus and how much he had changed. He asked if we, at the Mission, could give Dan a second chance. I told the Pastor that I would be willing to meet with Dan in person. Dan did come and owned up to everything. I could really tell a different man was standing in front of me. He had even started going to school. At that time, he was still struggling to find work due to his extensive history of felonies and assaults, but a few months ago he was finally able to obtain employment related to his recent education, and will now be moving out of the Men’s Program and into his own place in one week. Praise the Lord for his power to transform the weak and weary.
The year I spent here had its ups and downs, but I’m leaving, grateful for the time I had. I was treated like a man, a friend, a student and a brother in Christ and was able to address issues, gain employment and save enough money to support myself.
In Dan’s own words:
I was homeless because I lacked the money I needed to support myself, combined with many self destructive things I was going in my life. I came to the Mission because I had nowhere to go, I had burned too many bridges and I knew that it would be a chance to get my life together. The year I spent here had its ups and downs, but I’m leaving, grateful for the time I had. I was treated like a man, a friend, a student and a brother in Christ and was able to address issues, gain employment and save enough money to support myself.
The Mission staff mentored me both spiritually and with my life choices. They taught me to be more accountable for my actions. I would like to see more people use the resources the Mission has to offer to get their lives together, like I did with mine. If I could turn my life around, so could someone else. I am now employed full-time, I am a student, I am moving into my own place, and I am involved with a the community and a local church. I just want to say thank you to everyone at the Mission. I am leaving here humble, smiling and grateful.
