Stories that Inspire.
Victories to Celebrate.
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David Urges Sinners To ‘Run Toward The Cross’
David, a college graduate, was married with two kids when the store he was managing—a Mervyn’s in the Central Valley—went bankrupt. “I had a lot of time on my hands suddenly,” he said. He and his wife were also having issues. “We separated and I started to have a taste of the single life again,”…
Daniel Plans To ‘Surrender’ Completely To God
Daniel’s father was in the Navy, and their family moved around often, spending time in San Diego, Seattle, and Iceland. He had two loving parents and an older brother and sister. “I had a great upbringing,” Daniel said. “I had the best mom ever. She never smoke, never drank, never did drugs, but she was…
Chris Overcomes Childhood Trauma, Gets His Life Back On Track
Chris had a rough childhood, and sees more clearly now how the trauma has affected the trajectory of his life. “I went through a lot,” he said. “I was molested as a kid and that caused me to act out. I resented every man who came into my life. I saw the bad in everything…
Andrew Nears 1-Year Anniversary Of Program Graduation
When we last spoke to Andrew in early 2018, he was new to the mission’s life recovery program and was working to let God lead him in his journey. “I have goals and dreams, but I have to put God in the middle of it,” he said. “It’s a spiritual issue. Can God fix me?…
Cecil Works Through Childhood Trauma, Starts New Life At The Mission
His parents’ contentious divorce—and the difficult aftermath—shaped much of Cecil’s life. He was young when they split, and he and his siblings were first placed with their mother. “That wasn’t a safe situation,” he said. “We struggled for food. We were living in rat- and cockroach-infested places, people were doing drugs. It was horrible.” Things…
Albert Gets Help, And Isn’t Looking Back
Albert grew up locally with two brothers, his mom, and his dad, the latter of whom was very strict. “My dad was always really tough, so even though I knew people using weed in seventh grade, I didn’t do it,” he said. “But by the time I was 16, I wasn’t doing too well in…
Fernando Leaves Best Friend Behind To Finally Get Help
Fernando doesn’t have much family left, nor does he have many important personal relationships in his life. But when he talks about his dog, Fernando’s eyes light up. Kiko, a 6-year-old blue heeler, is his best friend. And leaving him behind for several months, while Fernando gets help at the mission, has been tough. “I…
Program Assistant Reflects On His Journey To The Mission
Mike Ruiz, the program assistant at the mission for nearly a year, still seems in awe of where he’s ended up. “I never would’ve imagined this. If you would’ve told me in 2004 that I would be a minister of the Gospel, providing hope to guys in broken situations just like mine, I would’ve said you…
Director’s Note – April
The end of my work day is my favorite part of my time at the mission. Yes, I get to go home, but that’s not the draw. It’s the time of day when the men in program are done with their scheduled day. The house comes alive with laughter, play and community. Today, I ventured…
Leonard faces his fears and begins to trust
Leonard and his older sister were raised by a single father, and the family moved around a lot. Leonard didn’t meet his mother until he was 13. “I was nervous because I had wanted to meet my mom so bad for so long,” Leonard said. “She was the most wonderful person I’d ever met in…
Jeff ‘sacrificed everything’ for his addiction
Jeff grew up in Santa Barbara in a middle class family, and he was always acting out. “I have three sisters, and I was always the rebel, since kindergarten,” he said. “I believe it just snowballed out of control my whole life. Whether it’s negative or positive, I just wanted attention. I was always smart…
Director’s Note – March 2019
Today we celebrated Ernie, the first graduate of our improved Transitional Living Program at the mission, one with enhanced job placement and leadership training opportunities. After our traditional house ceremony, Ernie stopped by my office to thank me for being part of his life change story. With tears in my eyes, I congratulated him on…
