What does “new life” look like for you?
It’s looked like God opening my eyes. I surrendered and the Holy Spirit transformed my mentality and my character.
I used to be closed minded toward people. I was angry and always running away. God gave me peace to stay in one place, follow through on what I’m doing, and let it move me forward.
I want to say thank you to this place for giving me the opportunity to do that, for trusting and believing in me. The Mission transforms people, transforms lives. I didn’t come in just for a bed or to stay warm or something. I came to get a new life and be a good example for my kids, especially, and for all my people, all the community.
It’s clear that God is at the center of your story. Can you share more about your faith journey?
I started reading the Bible when I was in jail. Every page I read, God was talking to me.
I said to God, “Why are you coming to me?” I read Psalms 27, and that’s when I broke down. I cried and cried.
It was a hard journey, but God is good. God changes lives. I want to demonstrate to everyone God’s power. I don’t recognize myself right now because of the miracles He’s done in my life. God’s given me victories.
Every morning, I do my devotional and pray for my kids. I love my neighbor. A lot of people right now in the street are really broken, I see it every day. But these are good people with nice hearts.
I also found my home church at Centro de Vida. I found good people over there. With them and the people at the Mission, I have a community now that gives me good advice, good direction, and is always looking after me.
You had been experiencing homelessness for five or six years, what was the turning point for you?
One day a woman ran up to me saying, “somebody’s trying to kill me.” Her eye looked like she had got hit. I protected her from the guy that hit her. When I was sleeping that night, the same guy came with a rock and a hammer and hit me on the head.
I was in a three-day coma, I woke up on the third day and didn’t believe it. I started thinking, “What am I doing?” I had no contact with my family, with my kids, with my ex-wife, with nobody. I was lonely, depressed. I didn’t have motivation to keep going. I found out my brother died from a heart attack but I didn’t know for two months because I was on the street and didn’t have contact with nobody.
I was broken. I said, “I need to stop.” So I started looking for help. I found help for the first time with Mario, the [Mission’s] Search and Rescue guy. He found me when I was really down, no identity, had problems with drugs and alcohol.
God put the Rescue Mission on my heart telling me to ‘go there, go there.’
And now I’m a graduate of the New Life [Addiction Recovery] Program, I’m sober almost a year. I feel different but I need to keep focused on my recovery because recovery is for life, you always have to work on it.
What is next for you?
I’m going to stay focused on God, one hundred percent. Pray for my kids and connect with them more. I need to keep getting my head checked like with MRIs.
God gave me this housing opportunity at the House of Mercy. I want to grow more in spiritual things and how to protect myself, my mentality, and be a better person. It’s a good living place for that. After I work through my disability, I want to work with the community because a lot of people need help.
