The Direction of Our Lives Dear Friends,
111 West Burnside Portland, OR 97209 503-MISSION (647-7466) www.PortlandRescueMission.org Our Board of Directors Todd Sheaffer Chair Rick Teeny Vice Chair Kathy Anfuso Secretary Janine Schulwitz Treasurer David Dannemiller Barb Deeming Greg McWade Merrit Quarum, M.D. Executive Director Eric Bauer
I spent a weekend last month in Washington, DC to see an old friend retire from the Navy. I was excited to attend Greg’s celebration and see many of my classmates from the Naval Academy. We first met 35 years ago when, as swaggering youth, we experienced our intense plebe year together. I was looking forward to seeing how they had changed and who they had become over the years.
Rescue Portland July 2010
What fun we had remembering old times! And what a blessing it was to see how these friends matured into sincere, gracious men. The intense investments made into their lives at Annapolis had indeed helped formed some fine gentlemen. I was reminded of how important our foundations are. I am also reminded of this truth every day at Portland Rescue Mission. So many of the people we serve have had extremely difficult pasts. Some haven’t had anyone make a significant investment into their lives. As a result, the foundations of their lives are inadequate and unstable. Without a solid foundation, all efforts to build a successful life eventually collapse. Pain, bitterness and despair emerge, leading to addictions and other destructive behaviors. The downward spiral continues, leaving deep wounds and regrets. That’s why we’re here—to help lay firm foundations in Christ that will last a lifetime and beyond. We seek to stir hope and invest in the lives of hurting people so that they can begin to build a stable life grounded in righteousness and truth. We have the privilege of seeing the transformational power of the love and mercy of God. And it’s because of support from our donors and volunteers that all this is possible. Thank you for your compassionate partnership in this foundational work.
Gratefully,
Eric Bauer Executive Director
Freedom Is Here!
Mission Needs Your financial support and donations of practical items makes relationships possible. Please bring donations to the Burnside Shelter at 111 W. Burnside, Portland, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Short-term street parking is usually available at our front door. We consistently need: • Bibles (NLT) • Socks • New undergarments (men and women) • Hooded sweatshirts • Men’s jeans • Sleeping bags • Twin blankets
• Backpacks • Deodorant (spray or solid) • Disposable razors • Toothbrushes • Toothpaste • Travel-size toiletries
We also need: • Yard equipment: mowers, weed-eaters, leaf blowers, etc. • Box fans • Digital video recorder for our Learning Center
James Won the Battle Against A Troubled Past
Still Waters Run Deep James’ Cool Demeanor Hid Years of Pain
James has found freedom through his relationships with others and with Christ. At first impression, James is placid, cool, amicable. He’s not quite stoic, but he’s certainly calm. People who work with James at the Mission on a regular basis have seen his peaceful disposition grow and develop through diligent attention, but they also know the more robust side of his character. “This guy’s a straight-shooter!” they laugh, patting James on the back. “He tells it like it is!” James spent nine years as a Marine, with multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He’s seen things that have affected him to the core, in ways few people understand. His training taught him to be direct with people, but his experience left him in a place of great anxiety. He’s calm at the surface, but there’s tension underneath. “I walk down stairs and around corners, wishing I still had my rifle with me. My mentor [who is also a veteran] reminds me, ‘You’re not there anymore. It’s okay. You’re not there.’” Memories of war aren’t the only obstacles James has faced in life. When he left the
service three years ago and reunited with his wife and son in California, James didn’t adjust easily. Normal life was a challenge, lacking the high-risk action that defined the previous 10 years. He couldn’t rest in the reality that life could be peaceful and calm again.
James has opened up to strangers, too. He frequently welcomes guests at the front desk at our Burnside Shelter. He brings these hurting people from the streets into our doors and helps meet their needs. Your support for James’ recovery has softened his heart, so now he reaches out to others.
To meet that craving for excitement, James turned to smuggling. He smuggled drugs, guns and even people. Just like a drug addiction, his addiction to crime gave him the same adrenaline rush he’d had in the military. It controlled him.
He laughs, “It’s funny how God works. I have to be patient and gracious with our guests. That didn’t come easy to me. It’s the opposite of what I was used to.”
James realized this put his wife and son in danger, so he left them altogether. He eventually landed in Portland. In New Life Recovery Ministry at the Mission, James has worked hard on those family relationships that his selfish addictions destroyed. He has taken steps to heal wounds with his wife, even from a long distance. “I thought I couldn’t share certain struggles with her, things I was dealing with after the Marines. Now I know she’s capable of bearing so much.”
James has learned a whole new way of interacting. It’s evident in his demeanor—in the way he sits, the way he smiles, the way he holds his hands. He is direct with people, but he comes from a place of stability and understanding in his heart. James is a changed man. He has peace—a gift from the Prince of Peace. Watch James’s video story of hope: www.PortlandRescueMission.org/James
Clad in jeans and a Harley t-shirt, with a bandana on her head, Yvonne is distinctly confident. She’s a former New Life Recovery resident. It’s been four years since she first addressed the addictions and lies in her life. Four years since she first found true hope in Christ. She finished at Shepherd’s Door in 2007.
Now, Yvonne’s best friend is her mom, and she’s reconnected with her father. She supports the Mission financially so that others can experience the transformation she’s gone through. She’s been baptized. She’s found hobbies that bring her joy. Yvonne’s truly come back around to the good things in her life.
“But I’ll always be in recovery,” Yvonne assuredly reflects. She still attends recovery meetings and finds encouragement from others with addictions. Today, life’s different in many ways from life at the Mission. What’s the same is that she still leans on the truths she learned at Shepherd’s Door.
She’s working, too. Soon after leaving Shepherd’s Door, Yvonne landed a job at Blount International, an outdoor power equipment manufacturer. She feels
particularly blessed to have bought a donated car from the Mission to get her to and from that job. At Blount, Yvonne works with her hands. She makes things and has a purpose. Three years out of Shepherd’s Door, and Yvonne is thriving. Hers is a story of true success. She found restoration when she needed it most, and it’s lasted well beyond life in the Mission. Thanks to your support, women like Yvonne are able to find freedom and build a foundation for the future. Watch Yvonne’s video story of hope: www.PortlandRescueMission.org/Yvonne
“I’ll always be in recovery.” Yvonne was homeschooled in a Christian family. Her parents divorced during her childhood, and she often felt conflicted when it came to living a split life between them. She rebelled in her teen years and had a baby at a young age. Yvonne’s mother raised her son as Yvonne moved from place to place, pursuing her drug of choice, methamphetamine. But more drugs and more bad relationships only led to total depravity. Yvonne needed help. She came to Shepherd’s Door through a pastor who now works at the Mission. God used a light from her past to point to her future, and she’s grateful. While here, Yvonne learned how to live without drugs. She built friendships with other women. She nurtured vocational skills that would later help her find a job. “I transformed from the inside out.” Yvonne got rid of the garbage in her life. It was replaced with trust—trust in others and trust in herself.
Yvonne’s new life is a testimony to her transformation at Shepherd’s Door years ago.
James and Yvonne found freedom from addiction. Your support doesn’t bandage a wound— www.PortlandRescueMission.org/Rescue it changes a life. Thanks for considering a gift today!
Still Waters Run Deep James’ Cool Demeanor Hid Years of Pain
James has found freedom through his relationships with others and with Christ. At first impression, James is placid, cool, amicable. He’s not quite stoic, but he’s certainly calm. People who work with James at the Mission on a regular basis have seen his peaceful disposition grow and develop through diligent attention, but they also know the more robust side of his character. “This guy’s a straight-shooter!” they laugh, patting James on the back. “He tells it like it is!” James spent nine years as a Marine, with multiple tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He’s seen things that have affected him to the core, in ways few people understand. His training taught him to be direct with people, but his experience left him in a place of great anxiety. He’s calm at the surface, but there’s tension underneath. “I walk down stairs and around corners, wishing I still had my rifle with me. My mentor [who is also a veteran] reminds me, ‘You’re not there anymore. It’s okay. You’re not there.’” Memories of war aren’t the only obstacles James has faced in life. When he left the
service three years ago and reunited with his wife and son in California, James didn’t adjust easily. Normal life was a challenge, lacking the high-risk action that defined the previous 10 years. He couldn’t rest in the reality that life could be peaceful and calm again.
James has opened up to strangers, too. He frequently welcomes guests at the front desk at our Burnside Shelter. He brings these hurting people from the streets into our doors and helps meet their needs. Your support for James’ recovery has softened his heart, so now he reaches out to others.
To meet that craving for excitement, James turned to smuggling. He smuggled drugs, guns and even people. Just like a drug addiction, his addiction to crime gave him the same adrenaline rush he’d had in the military. It controlled him.
He laughs, “It’s funny how God works. I have to be patient and gracious with our guests. That didn’t come easy to me. It’s the opposite of what I was used to.”
James realized this put his wife and son in danger, so he left them altogether. He eventually landed in Portland. In New Life Recovery Ministry at the Mission, James has worked hard on those family relationships that his selfish addictions destroyed. He has taken steps to heal wounds with his wife, even from a long distance. “I thought I couldn’t share certain struggles with her, things I was dealing with after the Marines. Now I know she’s capable of bearing so much.”
James has learned a whole new way of interacting. It’s evident in his demeanor—in the way he sits, the way he smiles, the way he holds his hands. He is direct with people, but he comes from a place of stability and understanding in his heart. James is a changed man. He has peace—a gift from the Prince of Peace. Watch James’s video story of hope: www.PortlandRescueMission.org/James
Clad in jeans and a Harley t-shirt, with a bandana on her head, Yvonne is distinctly confident. She’s a former New Life Recovery resident. It’s been four years since she first addressed the addictions and lies in her life. Four years since she first found true hope in Christ. She finished at Shepherd’s Door in 2007.
Now, Yvonne’s best friend is her mom, and she’s reconnected with her father. She supports the Mission financially so that others can experience the transformation she’s gone through. She’s been baptized. She’s found hobbies that bring her joy. Yvonne’s truly come back around to the good things in her life.
“But I’ll always be in recovery,” Yvonne assuredly reflects. She still attends recovery meetings and finds encouragement from others with addictions. Today, life’s different in many ways from life at the Mission. What’s the same is that she still leans on the truths she learned at Shepherd’s Door.
She’s working, too. Soon after leaving Shepherd’s Door, Yvonne landed a job at Blount International, an outdoor power equipment manufacturer. She feels
particularly blessed to have bought a donated car from the Mission to get her to and from that job. At Blount, Yvonne works with her hands. She makes things and has a purpose. Three years out of Shepherd’s Door, and Yvonne is thriving. Hers is a story of true success. She found restoration when she needed it most, and it’s lasted well beyond life in the Mission. Thanks to your support, women like Yvonne are able to find freedom and build a foundation for the future. Watch Yvonne’s video story of hope: www.PortlandRescueMission.org/Yvonne
“I’ll always be in recovery.” Yvonne was homeschooled in a Christian family. Her parents divorced during her childhood, and she often felt conflicted when it came to living a split life between them. She rebelled in her teen years and had a baby at a young age. Yvonne’s mother raised her son as Yvonne moved from place to place, pursuing her drug of choice, methamphetamine. But more drugs and more bad relationships only led to total depravity. Yvonne needed help. She came to Shepherd’s Door through a pastor who now works at the Mission. God used a light from her past to point to her future, and she’s grateful. While here, Yvonne learned how to live without drugs. She built friendships with other women. She nurtured vocational skills that would later help her find a job. “I transformed from the inside out.” Yvonne got rid of the garbage in her life. It was replaced with trust—trust in others and trust in herself.
Yvonne’s new life is a testimony to her transformation at Shepherd’s Door years ago.
James and Yvonne found freedom from addiction. Your support doesn’t bandage a wound— www.PortlandRescueMission.org/Rescue it changes a life. Thanks for considering a gift today!
The Direction of Our Lives Dear Friends,
111 West Burnside Portland, OR 97209 503-MISSION (647-7466) www.PortlandRescueMission.org Our Board of Directors Todd Sheaffer Chair Rick Teeny Vice Chair Kathy Anfuso Secretary Janine Schulwitz Treasurer David Dannemiller Barb Deeming Greg McWade Merrit Quarum, M.D. Executive Director Eric Bauer
I spent a weekend last month in Washington, DC to see an old friend retire from the Navy. I was excited to attend Greg’s celebration and see many of my classmates from the Naval Academy. We first met 35 years ago when, as swaggering youth, we experienced our intense plebe year together. I was looking forward to seeing how they had changed and who they had become over the years.
Rescue Portland July 2010
What fun we had remembering old times! And what a blessing it was to see how these friends matured into sincere, gracious men. The intense investments made into their lives at Annapolis had indeed helped formed some fine gentlemen. I was reminded of how important our foundations are. I am also reminded of this truth every day at Portland Rescue Mission. So many of the people we serve have had extremely difficult pasts. Some haven’t had anyone make a significant investment into their lives. As a result, the foundations of their lives are inadequate and unstable. Without a solid foundation, all efforts to build a successful life eventually collapse. Pain, bitterness and despair emerge, leading to addictions and other destructive behaviors. The downward spiral continues, leaving deep wounds and regrets. That’s why we’re here—to help lay firm foundations in Christ that will last a lifetime and beyond. We seek to stir hope and invest in the lives of hurting people so that they can begin to build a stable life grounded in righteousness and truth. We have the privilege of seeing the transformational power of the love and mercy of God. And it’s because of support from our donors and volunteers that all this is possible. Thank you for your compassionate partnership in this foundational work.
Gratefully,
Eric Bauer Executive Director
Freedom Is Here!
Mission Needs Your financial support and donations of practical items makes relationships possible. Please bring donations to the Burnside Shelter at 111 W. Burnside, Portland, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Short-term street parking is usually available at our front door. We consistently need: • Bibles (NLT) • Socks • New undergarments (men and women) • Hooded sweatshirts • Men’s jeans • Sleeping bags • Twin blankets
• Backpacks • Deodorant (spray or solid) • Disposable razors • Toothbrushes • Toothpaste • Travel-size toiletries
We also need: • Yard equipment: mowers, weed-eaters, leaf blowers, etc. • Box fans • Digital video recorder for our Learning Center
James Won the Battle Against A Troubled Past