Changing Lives October 2013

121 Years of Service

DenverRescueMission.org

A n

October 2013

U n e x p e c t e d

Love

“For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain.

My covenant of blessing will never be broken," says the LORD, who has mercy on you.� Isaiah 54:10 (NLT)

“ C h a m pa wa s m y h e a l i n g p l ac e .

It was where I learned to be honest and to trust other people. I love that it provided me the opportunity to know God, love God and then in turn, love myself.�

A n

U n e x p e c t e d

Love

“God has redeemed my past and provided me with multiple opportunities.”

“I didn't know God to be a loving God or a redeeming God. I thought He was a punishing God,” Sarah says, reflecting on how she felt a year and a half ago. After a decade of abusive boyfriends, a life-crippling addiction to methamphetamine, stints in jail, and giving birth to two children, she was lost.

her older, 7-year-old son in Greeley with her parents.

It meant that anything that ever brought her comfort, however temporary, would be off-limits. No drugs, no parties, no boyfriends. Just a house full of women she didn’t know and a set of rules she was unfamiliar with.

She had grown up in a loving home, but no matter how much help her parents extended to her, she kept running into the arms of men, seeking approval and trying to find her identity there. By the summer of 2012 her family had done all they could, and it seemed there were no options left. But with a sixweek-old son, Sarah made the hardest and most life-changing decision she could: she moved into Champa House.

But she still went. Slowly, she began to find freedom within the rules, and strength within herself. And most importantly, she found an unexpected love from those around her.

“There was no more putting it off. I needed to start over. I needed to leave everything I had known—it was all unhealthy and toxic,” she says. She was reluctant because moving to Champa meant leaving

Chaplain Elaine Phillips was instrumental in Sarah’s journey of healing. “She believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. She pushed me at rekindling my relationship with my parents, who I love spending time with now,” says Sarah.

She continues: “The whole staff has been so key in helping me. I came here feeling devastated and abandoned. I was oppressed by my choices and believed a lot of lies about myself. I think that just

seeing the Lord in the staff here has given me the opportunity to be honest and vulnerable.

They taught me that my identity is in Christ.”

When a woman is enrolled in the New Life Program, she is matched with a mentor. Sarah’s has gone above and beyond the requirements of the relationship by taking initiative in Sarah’s life. “My mentor Lisa and her family have loved on me and my family. She is so awesome,” she says, finding it difficult to express her gratitude.

“The most surprising thing that has happened to me here is that God has truly changed my heart, although I am a work in progress. I struggled in my brokenness for a long time, but I eventually learned to forgive others, and mostly myself,” she says. She opens her Bible and reads the whole chapter of Hosea 2. She reads about an adulterous woman and a forsaken Israel: how God takes away all that they had made an idol, how they are no longer his people, how he will block their path with thornbushes.

She remembers her own idols: “All those relationships were idols in my life. Drugs were an idol, possessions,

After finishing a Legal Assistant Program in only six months, Sarah landed a job as a paralegal, fulfilling a lifelong dream to work in the legal field. “I love the people I work with. I love having responsibility. I think it’s hard when anyone is going through any type of legal issue. They need somebody that is going to be empathetic and guide them through the process,” she says, proud to be the person others can lean on.

my job. I think of everything that I valued and put above the Lord.” She draws a comparison to her life and the lives of the other women at Champa: “If you come to Champa, you've lost everything. There are thornbushes all around you. There are rules and firm boundaries set in place to protect you.”

But she looks back down at the Bible and with tears welling in her eyes, continues at the end of the chapter: “Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.”

Photo by Bethanny Tarantino

Sarah has fought her addiction so she can give her children the life she wants for them. After advocating for visitation with her oldest son, she now gets weekend visits with him and is working towards having him in her care full-time!

“I believe God led me to Champa just as he led Gomer to the desert. When I got to Champa, that is where he began speaking tenderly to me. Looking back on my life I see his hand in everything. Little by little, he took things away from me, trying to bring me back to him. It was finally when I was left with nothing that I saw his love. He is slowly giving me things back and they are so much better because I see him in them now.”

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

Sarah was able to find an unexpected love because of supporters like you. Please use the enclosed coupon and mail your donation now, or visit DenverRescueMission.org to donate online.

From the CEO Dear Friends,

The people who come to us for help at Denver Rescue Mission are regular people, not that different from you or me. Sarah, the subject of this month’s Changing Lives, is someone’s daughter; in fact, she grew up in a supportive home, and her parents still love her dearly. As you read her story, she may remind you of your sister, a friend you went to school with, or maybe a mother you have befriended at your child’s preschool.

Hurting people, people who have made some poor decisions, people who have had some tough things happen in their life, all come to us for help. It does not matter the color of your skin, whether you are a man or a woman, or even what education you have—addiction can grip anyone in its perilous clutches. Frighteningly, it is not uncommon for someone to become addicted to methamphetamine the first time they try it, even if it is “just this once.”

Whoever they are, if they need our help, we want to share with them not only a cup of cold water, a meal, or a warm place to stay, but an opportunity to change their life forever through our New Life Program and the powerful, redeeming love of Jesus Christ. But like Sarah in our article, the key is a desire to change, to be willing to say, “I do not want to live like this anymore.”

When we hear that, God has allowed us, through your generous donations, to be able to respond: “We are here to help. God loves you and has a purpose for your life.” An unexpected love?

For many, yes. An unconditional love that is for eternity? Definitely.

God Bless,

Brad Meuli President/CEO

7th Annual Turkey Chase 5K Join us on Thanksgiving Day, at the Apex Center in Arvada, for the 2013 Turkey Chase 5K benefiting Denver Rescue Mission! Your participation in this fun-filled family event will provide holiday meals to men, women and children in need.

The Turkey Chase is open to all ages and abilities.

For more information or to register, please visit: DenverRescueMission.org/TurkeyChase2013.

“Do What You Can” Canned Food Drives with The Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets in Partnership with KeyBank!

Join the Colorado Avalanche, Denver Nuggets and Denver Rescue Mission in the “Do What You Can” Canned Food Drives in partnership with KeyBank. Please bring nonperishable canned food to the Nov. 6th Avalanche game and the Nov. 7th Nuggets game to help feed the poor and hungry this winter!

For more information please call Lisette at 303.313.2414 or LWilliams@DenRescue.org.

Fourth Annual Harvest Farm 5K: The Boot Scoot!

On September 7th roughly 100 community members and New Life Program participants attended the 2013 Harvest Farm 5K run, the Boot Scoot. Runners had the opportunity to mingle with our New Life participants, learning more about the facility’s rehabilitation program while enjoying the picturesque landscape of the 209-acre farm.

The event would not have been possible without the support of our community and corporate sponsors. A huge thanks goes to Grandma’s Frozen Noodles, our presenting sponsor, and Gray Oil, our first mile sponsor. And of course, thank you to all who participated in the morning’s festivities!

Mission Events

Statistics

9th Annual Last Waltz Revisited Ogden Theater 935 E. Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO 80218 November 27th at 8:30 p.m.

How You Help

This concert benefits the Mission! Bring nine items of canned food or non-perishables and receive a free event poster.

7th Annual Turkey Chase 5K Apex Center 13150 W. 72nd Avenue Arvada, CO 80005 Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2013 8 a.m. Registration 9 a.m. Race Kick-off For more information or to register, please visit: DenverRescueMission.org/TurkeyChase2013.

Women Who’ve Changed the Heart of the City On September 27th, nearly 250 members of the Denver community joined together at The Brown Palace Hotel to celebrate our 5th annual Women Who’ve Changed the Heart of the City Event.

During this event, Denver Rescue Mission honored Kelly Brough, Shari Shink, Shery McDonald-Galbreath, and Maribelia Avalos. They are examples of truly uplifting women using their passion and Godgiven talents to change their community, one step at a time. We are indebted to all of our generous sponsors, hosts and friends for making this celebration such a wonderful success.

Circle of Caring Sponsors: Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Stacey Aronowitz Gift-in-Kind Sponsors: Annie Harmon Harmony Design, LLC Venturemark Media

Table Sponsors: Dave & Deb Phipps Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce Jim Galbreath Lewis Roca Rothgerber LLP Mile Hi Specialty Foods Piper Jaffray & Peck, Shaffer & Williams LLP Saddle Up! Foundation Shari Shink McDonald Automotive Group SocialKNX LaFawn Biddle

For more information on table sponsorships for next year’s event, please contact Ryan at 303.313.2415.

(Fiscal Year) August

YTD

Meals served

48,446

96,569

Beds

22,589

45,476

Chapel attendance

5,488

11,159

Food boxes distributed

106

210

Furniture (households)

44

81

Clothing (lbs.)

16,067

35,758

Chiropractic

61

125

Dental

209

378

Medical

571

1,167

Optical

339

661

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.

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

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