One of the things that breaks my heart, but at the same time is one of the most rewarding things that we do at the Downtown Rescue Mission (DRM) is care for mothers and children. To think about all the moms and kids that come to the Mission looking for help because they have nowhere else to go can be overwhelming. They come here sometimes because they have been abused, sometimes because they have nancial hardship, and other times because of making bad decisions in life. No matter what the reason, the children pay the consequence of being homeless and at no fault of their own. I have two young daughters and I couldn’t imagine them living on the streets.
That being said, I am proud that the Mission is here to care for mothers and their children. At DRM’s Owen’s House we have Christian programs to provide spiritual support for each family member. We provide a Christ-centered atmosphere, where the children can play outside and feel safe, and everyone can eat hot nutritious meals and sleep in warm beds that are comfortable and clean. Before coming to DRM, many of the moms would stay in bad situations just to keep a roof over their children’s heads. These moms are just as loving and caring of their children as you and me and will do anything to provide for them.
We are very discreet about the moms and kids who stay with us. It reminds me of a story that happened a few years back. One of my team was representing the Mission at a local elementary school. While walking down the hall of the school, a young boy comes running up to the team member yelling “this is my friend from the Mission.” Because we are so con dential about who is staying with us, it surprised the DRM employee. But, the boy continued excitedly telling his friends... “The Downtown Rescue Mission is a magical place and I love living there.” When the team member returned, she told us the story and we all had tears of joy knowing that we meant that much to the little boy.
Thank you for supporting the Mission where you are helping us take care of moms and their kids every day. Happy Mother’s Day to all moms and especially those staying at DRM.
My name is Erin. My mother raised me as a single mom and then I lived with my father for a couple of years as a pre-teen. My father beat me and threw me out of his home. When I was 16, my sister took me to a Christian concert and I felt led to the altar to give my life to Christ. Later that evening, I told my mom that I had become a Christian. The look on my mom’s face was complete disgust. She was not pleased with my decision and so I did not talk to her about it again. Eventually, my mom put me in a locked facility. I turned 18 in that facility. At 18, I could legally sign myself out and I did just that. One year later, my mom said that she had been the problem and that she was sorry. At that very moment, rage blew up deep within me. I went from room to room and broke her worldly possessions. However, before my mom passed away, we made peace and I forgave her and loved her. I truly believe that on my mother’s death bed, she gave her heart to Christ. To this day, I miss her.
At 19, I had my son. When I was 22, I got married and had two daughters. That marriage lasted ve years and I have not remarried. I became a single parent and I worked at di erent places. Then, I got a great job at a hospital in the surgery department. One night, I was bitten by a spider. I went to work and showed the bite to one of the E.R. doctors. He wrote me a prescription for oxycodone. Oh, little did I know that prescription would lead to a twenty-plus year drug addiction. In my late twenties, I started having suicidal tendencies, which became a way of life for me. When it came to boyfriends, the abuse became worse and I became an abuser myself. In my early thirties, I was arrested for battery domestic violence. Until I was 53 years old, I would start a ght or become violent, just so I could release my anger.
I’ve made many attempts to get clean. I came to Huntsville, AL to visit my daughter. I became homeless and ended up at DRM in the overnight women’s shelter at Owen’s House. This was not my rst time being homeless. I was homeless for two years in California. I made an attempt to see what this program had to o er and left six months later. On October 2, 2020, I came into the DRM women’s program at Owen’s House. Before coming to Owen’s House, I truly did not want to be on this planet and I was angry at God. I had no clue what was about to happen to me. I participated in my classes and re ected on who I had become.
When the director walked me from overnight into the program, I thought to myself that this was the rst time I felt truly loved. Through much determination, I decided that I was not going to give up. I asked my counselor (whom I still see weekly) why has the Lord been quiet towards me this year. Her reply was He is the teacher, Jesus is quiet during the test.
Today, my life is absolutely nothing like it was 17 months and 3 weeks ago. The Lord and I have a beautiful relationship. I have stood rm on God’s word and his many promises. 2 Chronicles 7:14: “If the people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.”
My life is far from perfect. God has taken my cold heart and allowed me to see and know that he never left my side. In return, I have found the love and peace I’ve searched for all my life. I am a walking miracle. -Always, Erin T.
Lou Elbaum/Volunteer
Hi, my name is Lou Elbaum and I have been volunteering at the Downtown Rescue Mission (DRM) for about two months now. It has been a very rewarding experience and I have met some really nice people at the DRM. The interaction with sta and residents has been very cordial and it is evident that they are working toward a common goal of good for the Downtown Rescue Mission and their community.
I am a new arrival to Alabama from Colorado, where I worked and volunteered at the United States Air Force Academy. As a volunteer, I worked with the Community Center Chapel’s Preparatory School Special Program in Religious Education (or SPIRE). Air Force Chaplains, administrative sta and volunteers met on Wednesday evenings and provided a meal for the prep school cadets. After the meal and a time for fellowship we would break into small groups for discipleship training. There were also opportunities to meet with cadets one-on-one for counseling. Being away from home for the rst time can be quite an adjustment for eighteen-year-olds and this, coupled with the stress of academics, can make for a grueling experience at USAFA. Prep cadets can opt out of the program, but we tried to help them see their way through to graduation. It was wonderful to see the prep cadets enter the academy and become lieutenants after ve years of exhausting academics, athletics, late night study, and the rigorous discipline of the Air Force Academy.
There are similarities to the Air Force Academy program here at the Downtown Rescue Mission. Folks that enter the program have a discipline of work and study they must adhere to that prepares them for graduation. I have seen the hard work of the residents at the sorting facility on Putnam Drive and the thrift store at the Old Madison Pike location. I am also impressed with the discipleship program. Mutual respect between residents and sta coupled with a sincere love for the gospel is preparing these men and women with a solid foundation that will serve them well into the future. I am happy to see the good works that are being accomplished by the Downtown Rescue Mission and pray for their future success with our Lord Jesus Christ as their guide.
