Dear Friends,
I knew a man named Lee who struggled for decades with addiction and homelessness. In fact, every single night for decades, you knew he was in one of three places: in jail, in the hospital or at the rescue mission intoxicated. Decades!
Many looked at this man and judged him. They said things like, “He should not have started drinking, he did this to himself,” and “Get a job.” Some called him terrible names. The funny thing about judgment is that we often judge without knowing the full story. For example, Lee did not simply decide to start drinking. Rather, as a young child, his parents made him start drinking. He was addicted before he had a choice. That began the decades-long cycle of addiction, homelessness and crime.
It seemed the whole world had given up on Lee, and truthfully, he gave up on himself. He had been housed several times only to end up back on the streets within months. He had been to recovery programs that never seemed to work for him. Then one night, he looked up at one of our staff and said, “I’m done, help me.” The whole world may have given up on Lee, but God never did and because of that, neither did the rescue mission staff.
Lee entered a detox program, then he entered the recovery program at the rescue mission. He eventually moved out of homelessness and into housing. He spent the last years of his life housed, sober and volunteering at the rescue mission with men who were struggling just as he had.
A local media outlet heard about Lee’s story and asked to do an interview. Lee agreed. The last question he was asked was this: “What advice would you have for someone who is struggling right now with the same things you struggled with?” Without missing a beat, Lee said, “I would tell them, give Jesus a chance, it will stick!”
In this newsletter you will read an incredible story of the journey of a father and son. The story in part is about a God who never gives up on us and always loves us. No matter how long it takes or how difficult the circumstances. Denver Rescue Mission will never give up on anyone because God does not give up on anyone.
Thank you for making our work and these stories of recovery and redemption possible! We could not do it without you. The need has never been greater, but our God is greater than our need!
Grace and peace,
Dennis Van Kampen
President/CEO
This post is part of September’s Changing Lives Newsletter. This month, we’re sharing a father and son’s journey towards recovery in: Dad’s Last Wish.
