Changing Lives February 2014

122 Years of Service

DenverRescueMission.org

February 2014

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a stage who come ing across lk a w f o n iploma, satisfactio receive a d to n w o g d me of in a cap an shment. So li p m o c c a ober a mark of en’t been s v a h le p o e ep Mission, these sam e r Re s c u e v n e D t A . s eople; in decade educate p to ly p im s n’t h the our goal is people wit ip u q e to is ou r g o a l ccess sary for su s e c e n ls il life sk fficiency. and self-su

N A H T E R MO DUATION A R G A

NDAY CHURCH’S STAGE EACH SU S HI ON ER RN CO E TH IN IONS LESTER STANDS QUIETLY D SINGING SOFT INSTRUCT AN AR IT GU SS BA S HI G IN NG RUMM BACK AND FORTH, CLAPPI MORNING, SKILLFULLY ST AY SW EY TH AS P OU GR LEADS THE HIS BUSY SCHEDULE. F TO HIS PRAISE CHOIR. HE OF CK KI S NG NI OR M Y. SUNDAY AND SINGING IN HARMON

After leading worship for the congregation, he leads the men’s choir practice on Sunday afternoons. The praise team practices each Monday evening. Wednesday is the mid-week service where he leads worship again. On Saturday mornings, he leads the sanctuary choir practice before volunteering the rest of the day at the church.

He is an invaluable asset to his church, friends and family. What most people wouldn’t recognize about Lester is that he graduated from Denver Rescue Mission’s New Life Program in December after battling a cocaine addiction for more than three decades.

What led to his transformation? Determination? A supportive group of counselors and chaplains? Donors who believe in what the Mission does? Yes, yes and yes!

But ultimately, his life changed because of a hope found in Jesus Christ.

In 2008, Lester relapsed for the fourth time. After eight years of sobriety, he threw it all away for a hit of cocaine. “The second I took that hit, I knew it was over.” And it was. He lost his relationship with his wife and four children, his job, his home, his love of music, and his faith. “When I’m using, I disappear,” he explains: “And it’s the hardest job in the world to be a crack addict. You have to lie, steal, cheat, connive, and then try to keep all those lies straight.” After five years of running from everyone he knew just to find the peace and quiet to get high, he realized the silence was deafening. “There was no one else to run from except for myself,” he remembers.

One day, he saw a commercial on TV for Denver Rescue Mission. “I grew up eight blocks from the shelter. I

Lester pictured with friends, family and President/CEO Brad Meuli at graduation.

thought it was a place for winos who couldn’t get their lives together. I had no idea that one day I would need it,” he says. In 2011, he became a program candidate at the Lawrence Street Shelter, seeking a fresh start.

“I fell in love with the Mission the moment I got there.

I finally felt relief. I cried for two weeks. I could feel God’s presence for the first time in years. I could hear him, and he was saying, ʽThank you for coming home.

I got you. I will forgive you and restore you,ʼ” Lester says passionately.

He entered the New Life Program at The Crossing and attacked his recovery with impressive fervor. He volunteered for everything, offering to help the Mission’s staff in any way they needed it. He dove into the Bible and got involved with church again. He soaked up knowledge in every class, wanting to be fully prepared for the life ahead of him. When he found a job, he rode his bike 12 miles for 11 days straight, even in the pouring rain, refusing to let a lack of proper transportation hinder his opportunity for success.

“I wanted it so bad I could taste it. This program will weed you out if you don’t truly want help. Before, I did rehab for other people. They wanted to see me graduate; they needed that date to feel like I was better. This time, it was for me. And that is how I know it’s different,” Lester explains.

Lester has been down this road before: using, crashing, rehab, graduation, repeat. It’s a cycle. And before now, he was always taught that there was an end. Graduating from rehab represented the end of addiction. “Graduation is a great accomplishment and milestone. But the best thing the Mission has taught me is that my [recovery from] addiction is a journey, not a destination. The program has given me techniques for dealing with my addiction for the rest of my life. The counselors got to the core of my issues and taught me how to live clean and sober.

I know there is another life for me now,” he says.

A huge part of that life is music. It’s always been his passion and he has been blessed with an incredible gift.

The Mission even ignited that desire in Lester to play again. “Who would have thought that I would come to Denver Rescue Mission and play in a band?” he says, chuckling and shaking his head in disbelief. He played in the Mission’s band, and that inspired him to take on the worship leadership role with his church.

“The Mission gave me life. I have seen God’s hand at work. This place is such a blessing,” Lester says.

To post a note of encouragement for Lester on the Mission's Facebook page, visit Facebook.com/DenverRescue.

EN LIKE M P L E H O T N OSED COUPO NT FOR THEM TO LIVE! L C N E E H T E PLEASE US VE THE LIFE GOD MEA LESTER ACHIE

From the CEO Dear Friends, In this month’s Changing Lives newsletter you are going to read about Lester and his graduation from our New Life Program. Last year, we were blessed to be able to graduate 56 men and women, like Lester, from our New Life Program into a life of productivity and self-sufficiency, free from reliance on alcohol and drugs.

How is it possible that someone can leave these powerful and crippling addictions behind? We believe it is through the power of Jesus Christ changing lives for eternity.

Is it easy? Certainly not. But it is not by our own power that we are changed, it is through Christ’s love.

Another important component to our program is the fact that on any given day there are 250 people living with us who are in various stages of rehabilitation.

These folks can be such an encouragement to each other. Each day of sobriety allows one alcoholic or drug addict to say to another, “I made it this far, you can too.”

Christmas at the Mission The Christmas season brought with it many amazing events at the Mission. We served 300 people on December 20th at our annual Christmas Banquet at the Lawrence Street Shelter and many more at The Crossing. Generous Adopt-A-Family sponsors provided more than 450 families with gifts and a meal to make their Christmas brighter. The Broncos hosted a holiday celebration for children and families in our STAR Transitional Program where they decorated cookies together!

Thank you for helping us share the love of Jesus with those in need at Christmas!

I just finished an insightful book by Heather Kopp entitled Sobriety Mercies, her story about her own journey out of alcoholism and the impact God has had on her life. In it she reminds us that “… people bond more deeply together over shared brokenness….”

The result of this bonding and the power of Jesus’ love is More than a Graduation—it is a changed life.

Thanks for helping us make a difference.

God Bless,

Brad Meuli President/CEO

Graduation at the Mission Denver Rescue Mission had an emotional celebration for many graduates on December 13th. Every six months, it’s an honor to see men and women take the next step in their lives and continue on their journey toward self-sufficiency. This time, 10 people received their GED, 77 people received certificates of completion from the Mission’s LifeSkills, Education and Career Center, 14 individuals graduated from the STAR Transitional Program, and 47 people graduated from the New Life Program!

Read about Lester, a New Life Program graduate, and his inspiring story on the next page!

Mission Events

Statistics

(Fiscal Year) How You Help

Easter Celebration Friday, April 18th Lawrence Street Shelter 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

To view upcoming events, please visit: DenverRescueMission.org/Events.

DECEMBER

YTD

Meals served

49,357

296,062

Beds

28,305

145,617

744 NLP Graduates

since 2000

178

NLP Current Enrollment

85% NLP Success Rate

Fresh Start Please partner with us in our annual hygiene drive! We’re asking local churches, businesses and community members to drop off products the week before Easter, April 14-18, at our warehouse, located at 5725 E. 39th Avenue, Denver, CO 80207. With your support, we will distribute all collected hygiene products to low-income families in our transitional program and individuals in our emergency shelter.

For more information or to add you or your organization to our flyer distribution list (flyers will include more detailed information about this program), please contact Josh at JLittlejohn@DenRescue.org.

Examples of items needed for this drive are listed below: • Shampoo & conditioner

• Brushes & combs

• Bar soap

• Toothpaste & toothbrushes

• Liquid body soap

• Feminine hygiene products

• Shaving cream

• Deodorant

• Disposable razors

• Diapers & baby powder

• Lotion & aftershave *Large and travel-sized items are welcome!

263 GED Recipients since 2000

59 STAR Graduates since 2010

Our Outreaches Lawrence Street Shelter: Emergency care: meals, overnight shelter, free health care, food box and clothing distribution.

Fort Collins Rescue Mission: Emergency care: meals, overnight shelter; and transitional program.

Champa House: Residential facility offering long-term help toward self-sufficiency to single mothers with dependent children.

Harvest Farm: Long-term New Life rehabilitation program, farming and ranching operation, food and clothing distribution, and Fall Festival.

The Crossing: Long-term New Life rehabilitation program, transitional program for New Life graduates and homeless families, temporary housing for interns and visitors.

Ministry Outreach Center: Warehouse facilities; food, clothing and household goods distribution.

Family Services: Transitional program; assistance for permanent housing; mentoring for homeless working families, seniors and refugee families.

Help us fill the barrels!

Global Ministry Outreach: Consultation, resources and support to city/rescue missions around the world.

Changing Lives is the monthly news publication of Denver Rescue Mission.

Director of Communications: Christine Gallamore Designer: Rachel Vigil Writer: Rachel Greiman P.O. Box 5164 • Denver, CO 80217 • 303.297.1815

blog.DenverRescueMission.com