October 2021 Newsletter

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A Personal Revival

A few years ago, Colby’s life took a dramatic turn. It began with losing a job as a restaurant assistant manager. That situation was an indication of, and a contributing stress factor to, a major medical event about to happen. Prior to his crisis, he went to the Mission, because he could no longer pay rent at his place. Jobs were much harder to find in those days. A month after arriving here, he was walking from one restaurant to another looking for work, when he collapsed on a downtown Roseburg sidewalk. Colby had a heart attack and died. Paramedics worked for an unusually long time reviving him in the ambulance. At the hospital, he was placed in an ice bath to lower his body temperature, and he received a pacemaker to regulate his heart beat. The problem was a heart defect.

Colby had to reinvent himself, understand his limitations, even make some mistakes, as he worked through his recovery process. Memory loss and trouble concentrating have been a problem, but they are improving. He was in the hospital for a month, his family paid for a month in a motel, then he returned to the Mission. Much too soon, he took a job in a call center, where he discovered the limitations to his memory and physical stamina. After losing that job, he tried classes at UCC. It was too frustrating, so he dropped out, owing money to the school. He tried another call center, then a gas station. Accountability is difficult to measure, especially when one has a condition that affects concentrating, even reasoning. He took money from the gas station to pay his school loan with the intent to repay it before anyone would know. His medical condition was an extenuating circumstance, yet justice had to be done. Because he paid restitution and had no priors, he was only held a short time and received reduced charges. He owned the wrong, and there was mercy. He tried another job, but quit out of discouragement. While working, he moved out of the Mission, then returned when unemployed. He needed a new approach to succeeding.

Colby then joined the Mission Program. He said, “I am going to do it right. The Program helped me focus more on God and realize that the Lord has given me the free gift of salvation. I was wasting it. I put my relationship with the Lord in jeopardy by my lifestyle, haphazardly trying to rely on myself more than putting my life into His hands. That was huge.” That was a personal revival of his faith, much greater than his physical revival. He credits both the Mission and his church for working with him during this difficult time.

After completing our Program, we trusted Colby in hiring him to a Mission staff position, first as a cook then a store clerk. That was four years ago. He said, “I had to re-evaluate my work ethic along with my limitations because of my heart attack, and learn to ask for help when needed. It helped me fulfill my commitment to re-establish good work habits and not take employment for granted. It helped me get this new job, because it showed work stability and commitment to improve myself.” Indeed, he has a new job outside the Mission, yet he will continue to rent his room here for a while. Colby said, “Thank you to the Mission. I could never repay you.”