At the Mission, hope begins with a meal. Read on for Rob’s story of how the meals you provide were the first step to building up his character and behavior.
“My uncles were the handsome ones. I watched as they dated one girl after another. My parents raised me strict, but what my uncles were doing? That seemed pretty cool to me.
“For the next 20 years I made choices that dishonored myself and the people around me. I worked but spent my earnings on the wrong things.
“When I lost my last relationship because I didn’t want to leave my freedom behind, I became homeless. I saw desperate people pulling scraps of food from garbage cans. I saw people taking leftovers from fast food trays. But the worst thing I saw? Kids standing with their parents in soup kitchen lines. That made me truly sad.
“Sometimes, I came to the Mission for meals. I longed for God to force me to stay and get help. I didn’t understand at the time that He gives us all free will. I had started the Discipleship program before, but never stayed until the finish line.
“I’m renewing my thinking, renewing my behavior…”
– Rob
“The staff has been supportive all the way. They are helping me fulfill my potential. Most of all, I am learning to accept God’s love for me. I have come to realize that treatment can’t help me. Only the power of Christ can truly save me. Here, I’ve also found a caring community. The brothers show me nothing but love. Through everything about my life that I have shared with them, I have not felt judged.
“Because of my experiences here, my life word is “renew.” I’m renewing my thinking, renewing my behavior, renewing my faith in God and the people around me. This transformation has made me want to be the servant leader that Christ called me to be. I don’t want to do it just for myself, though; I want everyone around me to win as well. I want people to know that God is a healing God; if I can get help, they can, too.
“These days, I’m also working on a degree as a chemical dependency counselor and serving as an intern with the Discipleship students so I can help other men realize life change like I received and become people of honor, too. Thanks to the Mission, I have a lot of hope and peace today.”