Mission Stories & Impact to Inspire You — October

Carl raced to find refuge under the nearest freeway overpass. The rain was coming down harder now. And Carl’s threadbare coat was no match for the downpour.  

Shielding himself from the torrent, Carl reflected, “Being homeless, soaking wet. Ice cold. I had no place. No home. Nothing left.” 

Carl mustered a cry of help toward the heavens. As Carl tipped his face toward the sky, the rain joined together with his tears. And Carl whispered a desperate prayer, “God, there’s got to be something else.” 

But the wind swept away his words as soon as they were uttered. God wasn’t likely to answer him anyway, Carl figured. 

His past pleas for help seemed to have always been met with silence… like when Carl was 17, and his father passed away. Then again, when he faced his mother’s death. After that, Carl was alone. Grieving. 

That’s when his alcohol and drug use took a turn for the worse. The substances somehow softened the blow of these losses. But they didn’t wash away the pain. The pain was still very real. And heavy in his heart. 

Eventually, the rain cleared after that downpour. And Carl ventured out from his hiding place. 

“No sooner had I crawled out from under that bridge, I get stopped by the police.” There was a warrant out — and Carl was arrested. 

While in jail, the prison ministry team from Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission began connecting with Carl. They radiated a love he had never encountered before. “It was a group of men who actually showed me they cared.” 

That stuck with Carl. And once his sentence was complete, Carl’s choice became clear. He needed to find deeper healing at the Mission. “I was brought in straight from county jail. But I felt relieved and safe to be at the Mission.” 

During his time in recovery, Carl learned the power of surrender. He was able to grieve and finally let go of the heaviness of his past. “The Mission surrounded me with counselors and mentors. They wanted to help me. And that was a beautiful thing.” 

As Carl healed, he learned to trust God’s will for his life and let Scripture renew his mind. 

Thanks to you, God’s love reached Carl in his darkest moments. The ripple effect to your giving is that today, Carl is sharing that same healing love of the Lord with the people in his life. 

Although Carl had lost his way, you helped him find a new life through the love of God. Now, Carl is a changed man. Your continued support will help redeem more lives like his!