Written by: Jacob Cain, former Denver Rescue Mission Assistant Food Services Manager
COLORADO From Denver Rescue Mission, Denver, Colorado
Evans’ story
It’s midnight and Evans finds himself walking WYOMING From Central Wyoming Rescue Mission, Casper, Wyoming Jeremy’s story around, going no place in particular. Evans has no home to call his own—no support system to help him. He lived at The Crossing when he was part of Denver Rescue Mission’s New Life Program, a long term rehabilitation program for men, but after using drugs, he had to leave the program. Evans, a 23-year-old Mission guest now staying at the 48th Avenue Center, grew up in Kenya in a strict, Christian household. His family moved to Texas in 2009 when he was 12. Although his parents raised him to be Christian, Evans fell away from his faith around the age of 14. For Evans, his addiction began with peer pressure. At the age of 16, he started smoking marijuana with friends, which led to struggles with drug addiction. After graduating high school and joining a fraternity in college, his addiction only became worse. “That’s all they did, 24/7, is just drink. I could have said no, but,” he said hesitating, “it’s not as easy as it sounds.” Evans decided that it would be best to leave college and move to Denver to live with his parents. He thought living with family would help him overcome his drug addiction, but he continued to struggle. In December of 2019, Evans lost his home. With nowhere to go, he found the New Life Program at the Mission. Months later, Evans found himself on the streets again. One night as he walked aimlessly, Evans questioned everything. Why had he gone out and used drugs when he was so close to finishing the program? While reflecting on his time in the program and the counseling he received, Evans knew he couldn’t spend time with friends who peer pressured him into a destructive lifestyle any longer. Now, Evans is working at the Women’s Bean Project in Denver with plans to go back to school to study information technology. He is also lining up a place to live. Denver Rescue Mission gave him an opportunity to get back on track. “When I started [at the Mission], I was not in the right state of mind,” he said. “Ever since being [here], I’m ready to go back to work and actually function.” Evans continues to grow in his faith as he navigates pushing through difficult days. By keeping the word of God close, he knows he can endure anything. “There [have been] many times that I wanted to say screw it and just go out and drink and do all sorts of drugs because I was at my lowest,” he said. “But instead, I picked up the Bible and read a couple verses in Proverbs or Samuel, which pushed me through it.”
For more information:
Denver Rescue Mission
6100 Smith Road
Denver, CO 80216
Phone: 303.297.1815
Email: info@denrescue.org
Website: http://www.DenverRescueMission.org
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WYOMING From Central Wyoming Rescue Mission, Casper, Wyoming
Jeremy’s story
At a very young age, Jeremy was hurt by an adult he looked up to and trusted. “And it really emptied my soul,” he says. As he grew older, he tried filling the void with “every drug you can imagine.” Instead it resulted in homelessness, incarceration and suicide attempts – years of self-destruction, suffering and sorrow. “I remember walking the streets thinking, ‘I don’t want to live this way,’” he says. Yet through it all, he sensed God’s presence. And when a friend told him about Wyoming Rescue Mission and our Bible-based Discipleship Recovery Program, he felt the Lord guiding him to our doors. Now in our care, “I’m being renewed by God’s Word,” he says. “I’m soaking up everything because I’ve just been so empty.” As he strengthens his relationship with the Lord, he has forgiven the adult who betrayed him and is healing from the wounds of the past. And inspired by our faith-filled teachers, he is embracing tools to build a godly life. “I feel like I’m getting a doctorate in their classes because they’re so filled with the Holy Spirit,” he says. By their example, too, he has also found God’s purpose for his future. He plans on continuing his education to become a substance abuse counselor. “I’m going to have a ministry in Jesus’ name,” he shares. “I know in my heart that’s the only reason I’m still alive.” Thanks to the blessing of your support, Jeremy is celebrating Easter as a new creation in Christ. “I’ve been such an empty vessel in the past that all I want is for Christ to fill me up so I can help somebody else. I’m very hopeful… very happy!”
Central Wyoming Rescue Mission
P O Box 2030
Casper, WY 82602
230 N. Park Street
Casper, WY 82601
Phone: (307) 265-2251
The Transformation Center (307) 233-6925
Website: https://wyomission.org
