December 2017 Newsletter

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Void Will Be Filled By Something

Matthew’s story has no mention of addiction or mental health issues. As a student athlete at Roseburg High School, he abstained from chemical substances so as not to degrade his performance or get in trouble. As an adult when problems arose he said, “I did not turn to drugs or alcohol, because it would not help me to be a productive member of society or help me with my family.” His personal crisis was from a matter that has become all too commonplace in our society, divorce. Matthew worked hard in the logging industry as a choker setter, sometimes more than one job, 7 days, too many hours. The problem he stated simply as, “not enough time together.” In hindsight, their priority in life had shifted from marriage and family relationships to the mundane task of just making a living. Separating and divorcing then meant providing for two households, complicating life further.

Like a lot of men, Matthew had a limited, close network of family and friends. His father told him that at 33-years-old, he could take care of himself. He said, “It was my dad that suggested the Mission to me. I thought it was kind of ridiculous. It was tough love. I never heard of the Mission. I saw homeless people on the street. I shopped in the Mission store, but didn’t know it slept people or fed them.”

When Matthew was together with his family, they attended a local church together regularly. He has been a Christian since he was a teenager. He said, “I think chapel (at the Mission) is a good thing, because it furthered my foundation with God. It taught me to be more aware of the Lord in the day and of people around me, taking into consideration their needs and putting them before myself. Every day away from my wife and kids hurt me like being in prison. My walk with God is closer. If we are listening, we will hear the message. Chapel is a big part of it. The guys need God. If you don’t need Him, you are going to be pretty hungry (spiritually).”

Being at the Mission, Matthew said, “Humbled me a lot, helped with budgeting, and made me appreciative of all I have. It helped me to find a new job, and you worked with my work and school schedules. I should have spent more time with God in the home and with relationships would have helped. Now, I wanted to go back to school, work in town, and not have late hours.” Matthew is now working at a home improvement center and on his GED through UCC. After 8 months of re-arranging his life and priorities and healing, Matthew is back home with his family again. Rescue operation was successful.