It is always my pleasure to introduce you to our graduates. It is a great honor to me, and one that I do not take lightly, to continue to remind our community that homelessness has a face. Real people have experienced real pain and brokenness – and now they are experiencing real redemption. And that […]
Success God’s Way: Jorge’s Story
“As it turns out, God is confounding me by turning all my weaknesses into strengths after letting me turn my strengths into weaknesses.” This quote from Jorge O. Sanchez, our Winter Graduation valedictorian and one of our Tustin Veterans Outpost graduates, struck me as the perfect summary statement of the Christian life! In every Christian’s […]
Winter Graduation 2018: Stories of Hope
It is that joyful time again! That time after our Graduation celebration when I get to share with you the real stories of the formerly homeless people who have lived here at the Rescue Mission. It might be easy to write off the issue of “homelessness” as a nameless, faceless issue that merely requires funding […]
Fall 2017 Graduation: Stories of Hope
Ten days ago, I was standing in the courtyard just before the Fall Graduation ceremony was about to begin. I felt a tug on my graduation robes and looked down to see the daughter of one of our graduates. She asked me, “Are you graduating?” When I told her I was not one of the […]
How a “Tornado” Learned to Be Still
In December 2015, Karen made a commitment to God and to herself that she wouldn’t enter the Village of Hope program unless she was going to finish it. On October 8, 2017, as she stood as valedictorian in front of her friends, family, and 22 fellow OCRM graduates, she knew she had done more than […]
Go With God and Be Ready for Battle!
The In-N-Out Burger Foundation may keep a low profile on its generous charitable giving, but speaker Howard “August” Booker of the In-N-Out Burger Foundation, was a big hit at our graduation Sunday night! For more than two decades, our friends at the In-N-Out Burger Foundation have provided support to the Rescue Mission’s programs. This year, […]
A Legacy of Hope: Marci’s Story
Just a few weeks ago, the Rescue Mission congratulated its most recent group of graduates as one chapter of their journey comes to a close, and another begins. At each graduation, I have the privilege of introducing the Valedictorian, who shares a few words with their peers, friends, family, and guests. This Summer Graduation’s valedictorian […]
Thank You, Craig Furniss!
When it came time to choose a keynote speaker for the 2017 Summer Graduation, Craig Furniss came to mind immediately. Craig is a wonderful advocate and passionate liaison of the Orange County Rescue Mission. He has been a key advocate in connecting his church, Trinity United Presbyterian Church, to our community. He is a friendly […]
Summer 2017 Graduation: Stories of Hope and Restoration
How can I best describe the atmosphere at a Rescue Mission graduation? Let me do my best: You can feel it in the room. The joy of renewed hope and a life transformed in Christ. The peace, strength, and excitement of the graduates in knowing they are freed from the pain of the past, the […]
A Father’s Journey: Eddie’s Story
Last Saturday, Eddie Mejia completed the journey he began over a year and a half ago. As he crossed the stage and accepted his diploma as a symbol of his graduation from the Rescue Mission program, he reflected on the long road that had led him to this moment. A rough and difficult journey, […]