“I was completely lost… my whole world had crashed down.”

The one time Paul let his guard down, he was hurt. He grew up watching his mom jump from one husband to another, so it was scary for him to give people a second chance. But when his wife and the mother of his kids made a mistake and asked Paul to take her back, he agreed. 

Perhaps that’s why it hurt so much when she made the same mistake again. They got divorced, and Paul was devastated… emotionally and financially. 

“I gave my wife everything we had to make sure my kids had a roof over their heads, and I became homeless,” he says. “I was completely lost. I felt like my whole world had crashed down.” 

Paul slept on a cot in his church for a few weeks before deciding to come to the Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities. He needed time and space for his heart to heal following the breakup of his marriage, and he needed help building a new life that he could share with his kids.

The Mission gave him that… and more. 

“At the Mission, I feel my spirit renewed.”

In addition to recovering from the trauma of his divorce, Paul joined our ACTS Training Program and started growing closer to God. Through that, he found a new path for his life as a full-time pastor. He plans to start attending seminary soon. He also wants to get a house and see his kids more often. 

Now, Paul is excited about his future—but no matter what it holds, the Mission will always be part of his life.

“The Mission gave me a support system. When I leave, they still want me to be in contact and stay friends. That means a lot to me.”

Paul has hope this Christmas—and he wants to thank YOU for supporting his journey toward a new life. “I don’t look at myself as a failure anymore. I’ve learned to let go of the past, so I can move forward.”

Click here to read the full issue of our Holiday 2023 Newsletter.