& doing anything to stay alive…
Dennis was born in Kentucky and was adopted twice by the age of 8. Try to imagine that kind of chaos and disruption! Drugs led to criminal activity. The pattern is all too familiar.
Dennis was saved by Jesus in the ‘70s, but change was slow. He knew what he wanted to be, but didn’t know how to become it. So Dennis bounced around the US on the streets, doing anything to avoid pain and stay alive.
Eventually another arrest led Dennis’ probation officer to contact Rick Phillips at the Yakima Union Gospel Mission. Dennis started the Mission’s New Life Program in March of 1999.
Graduating a year later Dennis started volunteering at the Mission. He helped with shelter check in and security. Dennis also began a 14 year career with Yakima Specialties. By the grace of God, Dennis had his sobriety, was growing in his faith, and was taking healthy steps forward. Still Dennis was afraid to take the next step of moving out on his own.
In June of 2018, the Mission created a new program called the Bridge and asked Dennis to join. With some help he began to overcome his fear of change and started seeing that God still had more to give him.
Bridge staff assisted with his health insurance and eventually Dennis got an apartment of his own – his first in over 20 years! Working for the Mission as a night watchman, Dennis now feels the full dignity of paying his own way in the world.
By the grace of God and the help of God’s family, Dennis’ life has come full circle. He faithfully worships with his church family and God is using his life experiences to help others who struggle as he once did.
Rejoice! For our brother Dennis and others like him here at the Mission. Change is possible in Christ; change is real!
Article from the YUGM September 2019 Newsletter.
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