Summer heat and humidity only aggravated his misery

How God’s mercy, and your giving, was like a breath of fresh air for one suffering soul

Homeless and in his 60s, Michael once suffered from a severe respiratory illness that made it practically impossible to breathe.  

Every day was a struggle. But summertime was the worst.  

The hot, muggy conditions that often blanket the Twin Cities at this time of year left him gasping for air from sunup to sundown. Coupled with the miserably hot temperatures that had him constantly searching for food and water, and it’s no wonder Michael says he “didn’t feel human.”

“God, why am I still living?

Although Michael was a wreck physically, emotionally he was even worse off. Being chronically homeless and chronically sick took him down a dark road for which there seemed to be no escape.

Fear haunted him constantly, not only from living on the streets but from worrying if his next breath was going be his last. Doctors tried to address his health problems through a series of operations. But every time he survived, Michael would ask himself, “God, why am I still living?”

One day, Michael found his answer: the day he walked through the doors of Union Gospel Mission.

A reason to believe

His body and mind were renewed from the hearty meals and safe shelter we offered. What's more, the education, work therapy, and spiritual care he participated in slowly began to replace the despair in his heart with hope.

“I didn’t believe in myself before … but now I do!” he says.

Thanks to you, not only has Michael found his way off the streets, but now he’s been reunited with his family who’s glad to have him back in their lives — especially two sets of twin grandchildren who love the changes they’re seeing in their grandpa!

“I’m taking good care of myself and staying closer to God now,” he says.