Category: Stories
Dena never expected to find herself living in a homeless shelter, let alone living in a homeless shelter with her four girls and just a month from delivering her fifth. But that’s exactly what happened.
“My childhood was filled with ups and downs. It just had more downs than ups,” says Khalil, 27. But “The Mission gave me another chance! Ever since then, life has had more ups than downs.“
For the first time in 25 years, Earl is living in his own apartment! The 63-year-old Bashford Men’s Shelter resident has been working toward this since 2017. That makes Earl a RECLAIM success story.
One Wednesday in 2019, Tim no longer wanted to live. “I got up and… I just couldn’t face another day,” he says. His finances were in shambles. As he planned to kill himself, the Lord spoke to his heart.
“If ‘Jesus Loves the Little Children,’ why not me?” young Connie wondered. From the age of 8, she was molested by her sadistic oldest brother, a teen who idolized the occult and “did all he could to turn me away from God.”
After seven years alone in an Ohio senior living facility, Washington says, “The Lord put it in my mind to start a new life for myself in maintenance again.” He blindsided his family when he bought a bus ticket to Virginia.
For 23 years, Elizabeth defended the worst of criminals to support her family. But their dysfunctional lifestyle, an abusive husband, and disbarment made things worse. But her life took a turn for good at The Union Mission.
“My life wasn’t what I wanted it to be, but I could count on my grandma.” She was there for P.J. through foster care and more, until he really blew it. But the Mission staff taught P.J. that his situation wasn’t permanent.
Sam will be the first to admit it: he was a “knucklehead” for too many of his 64 years. “I probably coulda had a nice job and all, but I chose to do what I wanted. I chose the wild life. I chose the wrong one.”
“Some men came to my door. I thought it was solicitors.” Pam wasn’t worried until they told her, “‘We just bought your house this morning.’ They put signs on my door and told me I had to leave the house.”
“Things are really starting to look up. The Mission has helped me find myself. It’s helped me find God. It’s made me whole. I’ve never felt that way before. It’s an amazing feeling.”
“I’m so grateful that there’s a place that makes me feel safe, [with] food to eat; nourishing for our minds, bodies and spirits. I couldn’t ask for a better place to stay at this season of my life. I’m totally grateful!”