For over 60 years, we have provided Christ-centered programs and services that lead the homeless toward self-sufficiency. In all those years, men, women and children have sought our services for a variety of reasons. It is hard to narrow down the cause of homelessness because every story is different. However, I have found one common denominator that links all their stories together. Even though they may be lacking in different areas, the one area of deficiency that is the same, is relationships. When a person ends up in one of our shelters, it usually means they have exhausted every other option including family and friends. All the relationships in their lives are gone.
So, it stands to reason that something broke those relationships. Something or a combination of things burned the bridge where it cannot be recrossed. I call these somethings, “relationship busters.”
This is why stories are so important to us. If restoration to family and friends is to be attained, it is important to deal with the thing that busted the relationship in the first place.
So often, the relationship buster is addiction. It is so prevalent amongst those we serve, that we have dedicated an entire section of our programming to it. We call it “New Beginnings.” We have even adjusted our mission statement so now it reads, to provide Christ-centered programs and services that lead the homeless and addicted toward self-sufficiency.
Right now, all our beds for men are full and our women’s program is growing daily. Some come to us off the streets, some are court-ordered and others come from places they once called home but they aren’t welcome there anymore.
The relationship buster of addiction takes everything from a person. Someone said, “Addiction is giving up everything for one thing and recovery is giving up one thing for everything.” And I would add to that, when we give up that one thing that is destroying our lives, and surrender to Christ, He replaces it with more than we could ever imagine.
He wants to be our everything. He wants to restore our health, our minds and our relationships.
