Che Bon Bemo is part Seminole Creek Indian. His name means “little boy” – a given name, it turns out, that is quite fitting. For one thing, he is the smallest of seven children in his family – even though he stands 6’4” tall. But even more appropriate, the name seems to perfectly describe his troubled past. Ever since he left his home at age 19 to “find himself,” there were many times when he acted more like an impulsive little boy than a mature adult. For four years, he served in the Marine Corps and was stationed in Hawaii – where every off-duty hour was spent partying, drinking, and carousing. When he left he Marines, Che Bon joined the circus – and traded the strict daily regimen of military life for an “anything goes” lifestyle. Then came three month in jail for writing a back check … followed by seven months living on the streets. (“It was hell,” he admits). The first time he came to the Mission, it was never his intention to stay. He was just going to hang around a few days until he found work. But whenever he’d go back to the streets, he’s witness another fight. “Man, this was worse than where I came from.” Eventually, he joined our men’s discipleship recovery program. Now he’s looking forward to graduating in September. “Starting over feels good,” he says. “No more going back on the street … staying up all night. I don’t have to do that now.” UPDATE: Che Bon graduated on July 27th. He’s currently living in West Seattle in proximity to his church and has started a new job in construction.