"Finally Free" - September '21 Mission Moments

SEPTEMBER 2021

FINALLY

FREE

T

he

KEITH OVERHOLT, MBA President/CEO

“THEY ARE ALWAYS AMAZED AT ALL WE DO IN OUR FACILITIES AND THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. AT THE END OF ALMOST EVERY TOUR, I HEAR, ‘I HAD NO IDEA THAT DRM DID THAT’ OR ‘I NEVER KNEW YOU HAD SO MANY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES’.”

I HAD NO IDEA Downtown

Rescue

– not just the elderly alcoholic

Mission is God’s lighthouse

from under the bridge. We’ve had

to many in our community who

a doctor’s son who got caught up

are struggling through the storms

in the wrong crowd stay with us

of life. Some men, women, and

as well as a mom with kids who

children come to the Mission

left their home because of abuse.

just for a meal and safe shelter,

Regardless of their circumstances,

while many come to go through

we are here to share Christian love

our Biblically-based one year

to all who enter our doors.

program.

The next few months will

As my staff and I tour people

be the busiest time of the year. I

through the Mission, they are

would love to invite you to come

always amazed at all we do in

and see firsthand all the exciting

our facilities and throughout

things that are happening here

the community. At the end of

and how the Downtown Rescue

almost every tour, I hear, “I had

Mission is providing hope to all

no idea that DRM did that” or

who come through our doors,

“I never knew you had so many

because “Hope Lives Here.”

programs and services.” We help men, women, and children of all ages, backgrounds, and ethnicities

THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE I

t’s that time again! Downtown Rescue Mission is planning to give away 1,000 Thanksgiving meals to those in need throughout northern Alabama and southern Tennessee. We will also serve hundreds of traditional Thanksgiving meals to the men, women, and children in our care. Please consider purchasing and donating a few of the below needed items. Your consideration is greatly appreciated!

All donations must be dropped off at the Mission’s entrance #2 located at 1400 Evangel Drive NW, Huntsville, AL 35816.

Donations are accepted daily between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m.

We need 1,200 of every item below: • Financial contributions for turkeys • Brown gravy packets • Instant stuffing (6 oz. boxes) • Instant mashed potatoes (prefer 4-8 oz.)

• Macaroni & cheese (7-14 oz. boxes) • Cranberry sauce (14-16 oz. cans) • Green beans (14-16oz. cans) • Kernel corn (14-16 oz. cans) • Yams (14-16 oz. cans)

FINALLY

FREE “IF ANYONE WOULD COME AFTER ME, LET HIM DENY HIMSELF AND TAKE UP HIS CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOW ME.” Luke 9:23

M

y name is Roy C. I am in the third quarter of the Mission’s Life Recovery Program. I started it in the middle of November 2020. I was scared, angry, lost, confused, and terrified all at the same time. It had been over a decade since I had graduated high school, and I felt that my life was going nowhere fast. I was in a constant rut of bouncing back and forth from my mother and father’s house. My mother struggled with alcoholism, and my father has PTSD from a helicopter crash in the military. I am the oldest of three brothers.

The younger two were half-brothers, and both rebelled constantly. After many years of bouncing back and forth between homes, my father and I had a huge fight. I ended up going to the hospital due to a mental breakdown. Upon being discharged, I chose to be brought to the Mission.

When I entered the program, I was lost not only with myself but mainly with the Lord. I knew that I needed something different in my life, but I wasn’t sure

how to achieve it. It seems that nothing that I did was ever right. I was scared, selfish, and unsure of what the future held. But after months of being here, I developed a relationship with the Lord where I learned to stand firm, love my brothers, love myself, and love my family even when it seemed complicated. It looked like things were looking up, but during the second quarter of the program, I received news that my mother had passed away. It was one of the hardest things that I ever had to go through but thankfully, the Lord and my family here at the Mission helped me keep my head up above the water.

I am so excited for what the future holds now that I am finally free in Christ! My hopes for the future are to get a job, hopefully at one of the Mission’s thrift stores, and stay plugged in here. My dream is to go to college one day for graphic design and become an artist. Before the Lord came into my life, I felt useless and unable to accomplish anything, but now, with strength from the Lord, I feel confident that I can achieve all of these things through Him. One verse that has impacted my life is Luke 9:23 – “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” As I move forward with my life, I can rest knowing that I have a Savior, and His name is Jesus Christ.

donate.downtownrescuemission.org

MI S S ION IN M Y WORDS

C

hapter 8 in the book of Acts tells us about the first missionaries. They were not professional pastors, nor trained theologians but rather common everyday people who had been changed by a relationship with the living God. As they went about their lives, they took the message of the cross and resurrection with them, seeing lives and communities changed for Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul declared this simple message

“THAT CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCRIPTURES, THAT HE WAS BURIED, THAT HE WAS RAISED ON THE THIRD DAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SCRIPTURES.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

in 1 Corinthians 15 – “that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures.” This is good news worth sharing with our world! At Whitesburg, we exist to help people encounter Jesus and experience life change, and the Downtown Rescue Mission is doing that every day.

This summer we have had a couple of opportunities to serve the Downtown Rescue Mission and share the hope of Christ as we served. We were able to re-tile the men’s showers in their emergency shelter as well as paint an outside section of their main facility. We had around fifty volunteers come alongside the Mission and help them impact lives for Christ in Huntsville. We look forward to the days ahead as we send out more people to share Christ and serve our city!

Ben Jernigan, Missions Pastor Whitesburg Baptist Church MISSIONMOMENTS | September 2021

POINTING OTHERS TOWARDS CHRIST DRM Security Team

T

he Mission’s security team has implemented rules and procedures for the campus that keep our emergency shelter guests, program residents, staff members, and volunteers safe. However, there are other components of their job that may not be common knowledge.

Members of security work alongside the ministry team, chaplain, and case manager to build relationships with those in our care so they can provide exit strategies,

“WHILE IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE WE HAVE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR EVERYONE IN OUR CARE, OUR SECURITY TEAM ACKNOWLEDGES A MUCH GREATER GOAL – TO POINT OTHERS TOWARDS CHRIST.”

goals, and counseling. In fact, one member of security is certified in biblical counseling and two others began their certification classes in August. Whether a resident needs clothing, paperwork completed, or just someone to talk Drew Gilbert to, a member of security is Director of Emergency Services and Security on campus 24/7.

Security has also built a good rapport with doctors from Huntsville Hospital, who setup in the medical wing twice a month to provide for the needs of our residents at no cost. Our security team also goes through yearly training for CPR and other emergency services for situations that need immediate attention before EMTs arrive. While it is important to ensure we have a safe environment for everyone in our care, our security team acknowledges a much greater goal – to point others towards Christ. They desire to do this daily for God’s glory by how they interact with every man, woman, and child who enters our doors.

October 1, 2021

SET YOUR SIGHTS ON

Limestone Hunting Preserve

SHOOT FOR SHELTER

28755 Coggins Rd Ardmore, AL 35759

www.shootforshelter.org *Morning and Afternoon Shoot Sessions* Sponsorships Available! Contact marsha.seymour@downtownrescuemission.org

sponsored by

You’re invited!!

OCTOBER 29 • 5 - 7 PM

at Downtown Rescue Mission’s Main Campus 1400 Evangel Drive, Huntsville, AL 35816

Candy • Snacks • Games • & More!

LIVES YOU HAVE TOUCHED JULY 2021

6,656

Lodging Provided

is a proud member of

23,586

Meals Served

115

Food Boxes

®

82060

1400 Evangel Drive | Huntsville, AL 35816 | 256-536-2441 | downtownrescuemission.org