January 2022 Newsletter

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A Safety Net

Paul slept on a log to stay dry in Micelli Park last winter. For six weeks, he endured the elements. He said, “I felt like I was at the bottom of everything, and didn’t know what to do.” He wanted to be alone. He avoided big campsites to be away from drugs and alcohol. Paul knew the Mission existed but did not know what to expect. Food stamps gave him the means to buy sandwiches. He scavenged for material to build a lean-to. If social response had been to provide him better camping equipment, he would have sunk deeper into his depression. His turning point was law enforcement, through his Probation Officer, telling him to go to the Mission or back to jail.

Life had not always been like this. There was a time when he lived with his girlfriend and their children. Both parents worked to support their family of five. For several years, Paul managed part-time employment with stay at home dad. When she relapsed into addiction, he became a single father. It caused depression, and he drank too much. In such a state of mind, he discharged a firearm in his backyard. He went to jail, lost his job, and the kids went to a relative’s house. After release, Paul and his children moved in with a friend. He worked for more than a year, until the company downsized him out of a job. Then, the pandemic unemployment money was good, but he had too much time on his hands and stress from the kids staying home. He drank again. After a falling-out with his friend, Paul went camping alone.

When he had to go to the Mission, he said, “It was understandable and turned out to be good.” His first impression was, “There are pretty decent folks around here.” He then listed some advantages over camping: warm bed, hot meals, restrooms, showers, shaves, clothes, laundry, dayroom. Within a few weeks, he was ready to work again. He said, “I had not been feeling very confident to hold down a job.” Now he has been working full- time for more than six months. He is saving money to get his own place and his kids back.

Paul said, “Chapels lifted my spirits, gave me examples in life.” He related to a series we did from the Book of Job in the Bible, where Job loved God even though he went through so much. He said, “I consider myself a Christian, but I have not applied myself. The Mission encouraged me to pray.” He downloaded a Bible and prayer app on his phone and reads it daily. He truly has a new start in life.