Stories of Change
“ I would be taking drugs in the bathroom of my parents’ house and then going down for Christmas with mom and dad.”
“The more I walk with God the more I realize how imperfect I am… but yet we serve a holy God that loves us no matter what.”
“I promised I would seek God the same way I sought drugs, and that’s what led me to Pacific Garden Mission.”
“When I came to Pacific Garden Mission, my thoughts changed. I renewed my faith…the Hand of God is in this building.”
“My father is an addict. My mom’s an alcoholic, too. I had to grow up really quickly.”
“When I turned 15 I started getting in trouble again and using heavy drugs. When I was 17 I found heroin.”
“My life became unmanageable…I burned a lot of bridges. I prayed to God to deliver me from this addiction.”
“I thought I had failed as a mom. For two years, my daughters and I were homeless, and while my husband, Tony, was in jail, we were bouncing around staying with different family and friends. Some of the people we stayed with were drinking, using drugs, and involved with gangs. I hadn’t realized how toxic and unhealthy some people were until I lived with them…
From the outside, someone caught in addiction can appear to be simply selfish and seeking self-gratification. But the truth is most of these addictions are just “fruits” masking deeper root problems.
My name is Yvette. I am 29 years old, and I currently live at Pacific Garden Mission with my four-year-old daughter, August. As a child, I grew up in a single parent household.
“I had a business. I had a family. But once I picked up drinking, everything just seemed to get taken away.
I am Bethany, and I am from Tampa, Florida. I came to Pacific Garden Mission because of substance abuse. My drug of choice was alcohol. I knew it was becoming a problem because I would want to drink all day, every day.
Imagine having the very foundation of your life ripped out from underneath you and tragically taken. At only five years of age, Felix witnessed his mother’s murder and the subsequent suicide of his father. After a lifetime of anger and search for wholeness—and nearly a decade of homelessness—Felix came to Pacific Garden Mission, where with your help, he is now building a new foundation upon the One who will never leave him . . . Jesus Christ!
“I was an introvert growing up and was very shy. I grew up in a Christian home, a strict household where no one in my family cursed or drank. I went to college never having had a drink, but I started experimenting, drinking, and partying. The pull of cocaine was that it helped me not be shy and get out of my shell. I was off to the races.”
Alone and afraid . . . two of the most commonly used words people share when first describing their experience with homelessness. Transcending the gigantic hurdles of homelessness may seem like a daunting task—but you, as the donor, help to change those words of fear and despair into words of hope and happiness.
As Thanksgiving approaches, we look forward to family time and sharing blessings and encouragement with others this holiday season. But the holidays are not always a joyous occasion for everyone.