February 2017 Newsletter

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Abuse Caused A Rebellious Life

When Noel was two-years-old, his father died. For several years, his single parent working mother raised him and his younger brother. Then an abusive stepfather entered the family and life changed. He said, “The littlest of things would get us in trouble, which made us act out all the more, because of the injustice. We lived way out of town. If people had known, it would have stopped.” He was treated so meanly as a teenager that his response was to not give life a chance to show itself any different. So he rebelled. He said, “It took years to overcome it. The drinking was a reaction to the injustice. It became a habit, we couldn’t break. It became a reward for a hard day at work, self-medication. But it had more drawbacks than benefits. If you use too much of it, it is poison. You don’t function, mistakes can be made.”

Noel graduated from high school and held various minimum wage jobs. He said the small town on the Oregon coast had been a fishing and lumber town, but now is a tourist town. He did not see any great opportunities there. He held a job as a gas station attendant for several years, off and on, while him and his brother slept under bridges and in legitimate campsites. Park rangers kept them moving from one campsite to another. A friend would drive him to work. His employer knew the situation and eventually helped him get a trailer. His brother’s drinking problem was worse; he would bring other alcoholics to their home. One night his brother passed out on the beach; a wave overcame him and he drowned.

It was time for Noel to leave that coastal town. He came to the only mission in Douglas County. Roseburg is the hub city of the county, a center of social services. The photo shows him working for his stay here by serving food in our kitchen. He said, “I am really glad the Mission is a no drinking place. I do not want to smell it or see it. That is not why I came here. The Mission provided me a place to succeed and grow, providing information through networking and local services. It is a safe, secure place. It is within walking distance of employment opportunities. People are really nice, helping each other here. They want to see you succeed and go somewhere. The programs and chapel are great. I became a Christian when I was eight-years-old. It has been a struggle to keep fellowship, to keep going back to church. I have learned more in chapel than in my entire time in church settings.”

After three weeks of searching for a job, walking from place to place, Noel landed a job washing dishes in a restaurant. Now the rebellious, addictive behavior has stopped, and a new life has begun.