Marriage is a sacred bond, a promise to support and love each other through sickness, health, and everything in between. But when two people each hit their lowest point of hopelessness, it can feel impossible to keep this promise. Ricky and Lisa were in this position. They loved each other dearly, but they were both […]
Justin’s Story: Saved From the Brink of Hopelessness
When it came time to choose a name for our largest facility 10 years ago, it seemed only natural to me and to the Board that we call it the Village of Hope. This was because as we encountered homeless men, women, and children, we found that regardless of the specifics of the circumstances that […]
Confidence Restored in Christ: Stephanie’s Story
Many women who come to the Rescue Mission are fleeing from domestic violence or abuse. It is heartbreaking to see women and children, fearful and broken, living on the streets or moving from motel to motel. Which is why we are so grateful to be a safe place for these families as they arrive at […]
Stories of Hope: Spring Graduates
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 […]
Mike’s Story
“Most people just looked away.” That’s how Mike described his experience as a homeless person on the streets. You can probably relate. It’s difficult to see someone who “looks like he just came out of the garbage can” as Mike described himself. But the beauty of Mike’s story is that God never gave up on […]
Wannida’s Chance for a New Life
A couple of weeks ago I shared with you Wannida’s story, a mother who was trapped in a desperate situation… Wannida flashed back to her childhood, to what she knew was happening behind closed doors in her family. Just like her mom, she married a man who had begun to violently take his anger out […]
The Potential to Be Someone Great
Today, I have yet another story to share with you about an incredible young woman from our Laurel House program, Lorena, and the impact she is making on her community! Lorena’s Story At age 13, Lorena was kidnapped and raped. The trauma sent her into an unending struggle with alcohol, truancy, and rebellious friends. Depression […]
The Breaking Point; a Rescue Mission Story
I have always had a compassion for widows, the women unexpectedly facing a sometimes insurmountable loss. And yet, even more overwhelmed and broken are the women who choose to leave in order to save themselves and their children, because they are victims of domestic violence. These women, like Wannida, have become the faces […]
Facing Forward Means Leaving Failure Behind: Lacey’s Story
As a father to two girls, one who is still a teenager, the stories from Laurel House tug on my heart in a very personal way. It is heartbreaking to see young lives affected by such pain and turmoil, but it makes the joy of their restoration that much greater. The girls that come through […]
Gina’s Story: Finding Help and Hope Just in Time
I hear a lot of stories of the Rescue Mission providing help just in time. Many people come to us at their rock-bottom, when they have lost all hope and have nowhere else to turn. This was the case for Gina, who arrived just days before giving birth to her daughter. Gina struggled for so […]