In Houston I was working a concert job where I’d set up for concerts and work the soundboard and video. It’s a very high-paced job, 18 hours a day, and drugs are rampant through it. So I got addicted to meth for like 5 years. Someone introduced me to it and my addictive personality just said “That feels great!” One day, I told my foster parents that I was on drugs. Their look of grave disappointment and the tears in their eyes just made me want to quit.
But I knew that if I stayed in Houston I wouldn’t be able to do that. So I decided to go and try to kindle something with my mom because I hadn’t seen her in like 26 years.
Honestly, I didn’t know that homeless shelters cared like this Mission does. I came here and the love that the Mission has and seeing people giving so that can happen – it’s just amazing. It’s an opportunity to help people who normally wouldn’t receive help from anybody. And if the Mission wasn’t there, there wouldn’t be anything for them.
BEFORE
I used to be very deceptive. Halfway through the New Life Program (NLP), my conscience and the stories weren’t adding up, and it came to where I either had to stay with the story and lose my place in the program or admit to being dishonest and hope for the best. I came clean and since then I’ve been 100% honest.
Before I came to the Mission I was pretty empty. Looking for something to fill the void. Before, it was just finding something to make me keep going, you know.
Before, I was all about making money. Now I’m all about making something.
NOW
The Mission’s helped me find my gifts. Like, I’ve started helping teach classes [for the current NLP members]. And I have goals. I don’t know if they’ll pan out, but I pray on them all the time. I’m going to be looking into trade school. I want to do something with teaching because I have a knack for it.
I got almost two years of sobriety now. I feel more hope for the future, because God is guiding me.
I feel more confident, like being able to talk to people about God or about bettering themselves.
I feel a sense of purpose. I’ve yet to see what God has in store for me, but I know it’s something to do with people. I’m kind of excited and nervous, you know? I want to rush into it but I know God has his own time frame. I got to learn patience.
So, I’m staying up here in Bellingham. But I’ll always keep my accent; you don’t have to worry about me talking like a Northerner. “Hey there, y’all!”