12 3 Y E A R S O F S E R V I C E
DenverRescueMission.org
February 2015
SEEKING SUCCESS, FINDING PEACE
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overf\low with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.� Romans 15:13 (NIV)
Letter from the CEO
Graduation at the Mission Friends and family packed into The Crossing Café on the morning of December 5, 2014, but it wasn’t to enjoy a tasty meal. Instead of the usual tables, the cozy dining room was full of chairs with a stage neatly tucked into one corner. The Winter Graduation Ceremony was about to begin! The theme for this graduation was “Choose. Learn. Succeed.”
Dear Friends, I am passionate about the work we do at Denver Rescue Mission. And okay, I admit it, when I am talking about the people who come to us for help and how God works in their lives, I sometimes cry. Simply stated, I am a crier. Now, it is usually not full-out-gasps-of-air crying, but the kind of emotion that wells up inside of your throat and keeps you from being able to go on speaking. Could I just say, as a former US Marine, this is hard to admit. We have all experienced this before, whether we want to confess it or not. There are some things that just touch us at the core of who we are. Because of the people we serve, I have a lot of opportunities to be moved, to be filled with awe at how God works through the staff and volunteers at the Mission to touch someone deep down inside their soul, creating lasting change. Change that leads to a new, productive and self-sufficient life. So here is one more confession. I hope my ability to be moved by stories like Trever’s—featured in this month’s newsletter—never ends. I pray that my heart will always move to my throat when God moves in people’s lives, helping them find the peace that only Jesus can provide. Go ahead, call me a Crier! Thanks again for your help; we are so grateful.
God Bless,
Brad Meuli President/CEO
In total, 70 people received certificates of completion from the Mission’s LifeSkills, Education, and Career Center, 29 people graduated from the New Life Program, nine individuals graduated from the STAR Transitional Program, four people completed the Fort Collins Rescue Mission Steps to Success Program, and one man, Trever Currie, received his GED. Learn more about Trever’s story in this issue of Changing Lives.
Christmas at the Mission While some were dreaming of a white Christmas, we were preparing for a full dining room for the Christmas Banquet at the Mission. We served 520 people at the Lawrence Street Shelter and 223 more at The Crossing! As the holiday season began, generous sponsor families participated in the Adopt-A-Family program, delivering Christmas gifts to 420 families in need. And the Broncos joined us again to celebrate the holidays and decorate Christmas cookies with the children and families in our STAR Transitional Program. Your generous donations helped us share the love of Jesus and the joy of the holidays with our needy friends and neighbors at Christmas. Thank you!
THE NEW LIFE PROGRAM PROVIDES THE STRUCTURE, RESOURCES AND EDUCATION
HOMELESS PEOPLE NEED TO ACHIEVE THEIR GOAL OF GETTING A GED.
SEEKING SUCCESS, FINDING PEACE "I had alcohol problems all my life," Trever confesses openly.
His struggle with alcohol began when he was a child. “My mother and father were both alcoholics,” he continues, shaking his head. “It was prevalent in my home. I didn’t realize there was a problem with drinking all the time. That’s what I knew as normal.” Trever started a steady habit of drinking when he was thirteen years old. “It didn’t register as an issue until I started my family,” he admits. It wasn’t just his life he was affecting; it was the lives of his wife and two boys. When he was thirty-five years old, he finally admitted that he was an alcoholic. In 2011, he was involved in a domestic violence incident resulting in a courtordered separation from his family. “They wanted me to prove that I could take care of my issues and be a good father and husband before I could live with my family again,” he says.
But that left Trever homeless, without a job and still struggling with alcoholism. The first time he came to Denver Rescue Mission he declined the invitation to enter the New Life Program. “I told them I couldn’t be away from my family that long.” He stayed at the Lawrence Street Shelter until he found a more suitable program, but he soon relapsed. Eventually, Trever found a program where he remained sober for fifteen months. While he struggled to remain sober, his wife, Cathy, was advised to divorce him. People told her Trever would never change, and for a time she agreed. “That was really a turning point in my recovery,” he says. “I quit worrying about the relationship and focused on me.” Cathy saw the changes and could tell something was different. She decided against
the divorce and took some counseling on marriage and communication, discovering ways she could help rebuild their relationship. “She’s still very supportive. She’s awesome,” he says smiling. But just being sober wasn’t enough. Trever was afraid of replacing alcohol with other bad habits, a bad attitude, or worse relapsing. “It was hard to stay sober,” he says strongly. “I knew that I was going to relapse again if I didn’t get help.” That’s when he remembered the New Life Program at Denver Rescue Mission. “It was a paradigm shift,” he says. “I went from saying, ‘I can’t be away from my family that long’ to ‘I need to be away from my family that long.’ I needed to take the time to be successful in recovery.”
and in the end still be the same guy that everybody liked—not some jerk that just quit drinking,” he laughed.
He joined the New Life Program to get his GED and better employment, assuming those things would help him stay sober, but he soon realized the real reason he needed help. “I need to quit this inner battle,” he says pointing to his head. “It’s like there’s two different people in me. There’s the me that wants to drink—he’s a tough son of a gun,” he said laughing. “And there’s the sober me …. I realized inner peace was what I was missing.” Trever began finding that peace one Sunday afternoon at the Lawrence Street Shelter. “They’d crank up this gospel music …. I sat there thinking about things and meditating,” he remembers. Something came over him in that moment and he began to cry. “It wasn’t because I was sad or anything—it was a good cry. It was uncontrollable.” He tried to hide it, but a Mission staff member saw him and later told him, “You know, crying isn’t always bad.” Trever responded smiling, “Yeah, I know. That was a good cry.” Since that moment, Trever feels he’s been divinely guided in the steps he’s taking. “I definitely had a feeling of guidance when I made the decision to come back and do the Program.” As he joyfully accepts his GED at the Mission graduation ceremony, the crowd cheers him on like Broncos
While his GED accomplishment takes center stage at graduation, it’s only part of Trever’s story. His journey to find true peace is just beginning.
“Matt has been a big help, a good friend and very supportive. The staff in general has done that too, but Matt in particular has been very encouraging.”
fans watching a winning touchdown. He says the accomplishment is encouraging. “All those years of drinking, I spent a lot of time beating myself down. I didn’t feel like I could do anything. Now I have more confidence. That drinking side of me is losing ground. The other guy— the sober me—is stronger,” he says with a satisfied sigh. “I feel good about life rather than ‘iffy at best’.” Entering his final phase of the New Life Program, Trever is looking forward to the future and being with his family again. “Life is just easier. I realize now, I’ve taken the right steps to be successful in recovery
The GED test had a major facelift in 2014. The goal: a more comprehensive GED program better preparing individuals for college and career development. In partnership with Emily Griffith Technical College, we provide training and study tools to our program participants to give them the best possible chance of succeeding.
In the last 10 years, the Mission helped more than 200 New Life Program participants earn their GED Diploma.
Trever opened his heart to his need for a spiritual change that Sunday at the Lawrence Street Shelter. As he interacts with Mission staff and continues Bible studies and other spiritual development goals in the program, we pray he will experience the kind of true inner peace that can only come from a relationship with Jesus. And he’s not alone. There are more than 100 other guys like him in the New Life Program, each with their own story and spiritual needs. Thank you for making Trever’s graduation and journey to find true peace possible. Because of your support, we’re able to reach out to people like Trever, give them the tools and confidence to build a better life and help them discover their real need for spiritual renewal through a life-changing encounter with Jesus. Look for Trever’s story on the Mission’s Facebook page: Facebook.com/DenverRescue Share his inspirational words and life change!
HELP US CHANGE MORE LIVES LIKE TREVER’S TODAY. USE THE ENCLOSED ENVELOPE TO MAIL YOUR DONATION!
Mission Event
Standards of Excellence In its commitment to spiritual and financial accountability, as well as to community relations, Denver Rescue Mission has long-standing memberships with the following organizations: The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability is committed to helping Christ-centered organizations earn the public’s trust through developing and maintaining standards of accountability that convey God-honoring ethical practices. Member since February 1991. ECFA.org
Easter Celebration
The Association of Gospel Rescue Missions is an association of rescue missions and other rescue ministries which (1) serves local rescue ministries through education, training, consultation, conferences, conventions, and networking; (2) starts new rescue ministries; (3) shares the message of rescue; (4) promotes prayer, spiritual values and growth in the rescue family. Over 300 affiliates in US, Canada, India, Australia, South America, and Africa. Member since August 1962. AGRM.org
Lawrence Street Shelter 1130 Park Avenue West Denver, CO 80205 Friday, April 3 10:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. To view upcoming events, please visit DenverRescueMission.org/events.
Best Christian Workplaces
The Denver/Boulder Better Business Bureau is dedicated to promoting and fostering the highest ethical relationships between businesses and the public through voluntary self-regulation, consumer and business education and service excellence. Member since November 1991. DenverBBB.org Denver Rescue Mission is proud to have achieved certification as a Best Christian Workplace! Best Christian Workplaces Institute recognizes exceptional organizations whose leadership understands that employee engagement results from a flourishing culture, and that it drives positive ministry outcomes.
Caring Connection of Colorado aims to offer a recognized choice for giving in the workplace, and provides local organizations and individual donors with the opportunity to support the human service agencies they know, trust and believe in. Member since 1983. CaringConnection.org
Denver Rescue Mission Outreaches Lawrence Street Shelter Meals, shelter, clothing, and medical care. Champa House Residential facility offering long-term help toward self-sufficiency to single mothers with dependent children. Harvest Farm Rural rehabilitation program near Fort Collins, Colorado. Fort Collins Rescue Mission Emergency care: meals, shelter; and transitional program.
The Crossing Transitional program for families and rehabilitation program for men. Ministry Outreach Center Administrative and warehouse facilities; food, clothing, and household goods distribution.
Statistics How You Help DECEMBER
YTD (fiscal year)
Meals provided
40,587
247,336
Nights of shelter provided
24,709
126,455
Chapel attendance
5,057
20,956
Clothing distributed (lbs.)
32,223
126,554
Clinic services provided
1,991
8,881
Changing Lives is the monthly news publication of Denver Rescue Mission. Director of Communications: Christine Gallamore Designer: Rachel Vigil Writer: Robert Bogan
blog.DenverRescueMission.com
Family Services Transitional housing, assistance for permanent housing, and mentoring. Global Ministry Outreach Offering consultation, resources and support to city/rescue missions around the world.
P.O. Box 5164 • Denver, CO 80217 • 303.297.1815