“I lost everything I’d worked for…”
From an early age, Johnny struggled to feel loved and accepted. His mother left when he was only 5 years old, and her absence created a hole in his life.
“I missed my mom, and I couldn’t understand why she would leave,” he says. “I felt so alone growing up.”
Over the years, Johnny looked to other figures in his life for guidance, but they led him down a destructive path. “I started drinking at a young age… then using other substances. It scared me to death, but I wanted to fit in,” he says. “From there, everything went downhill.”
At his lowest point, Johnny spiraled into a deep depression that led to losing his job, home, relationships, and everything he’d worked for. “I was homeless for about a year and a half… Sometimes, I’d sleep on a church porch.” He knew he needed help to change his life.
“I felt like I’d let myself down…”
His first night here at the Mission, Johnny experienced a warm welcome and the acceptance he’d craved all his life. “They showed me so much love… They fed me… They welcomed me as a brother in need.”
Through work therapy and the Christian fellowship he’s found in our program, Johnny is no longer struggling in isolation but is learning to trust others. “Before I came to the Mission, I wouldn’t let anybody in… but now I’ve got a support team. I’m a changed person.”
Today, Johnny is looking forward to starting his own professional painting business after he completes our program. “I see myself having a home and a family again.”
Johnny is filled with thanksgiving for God’s redeeming love in his life – and your incredible generosity and support! “I’m thankful to the Mission for helping me at a time when I couldn’t help myself… It’s given me a whole new outlook on life.”
Read the Fall edition of The Mission Bell here.
