I asked one of
my mentors at the Waterfront Rescue Mission how successful his program was and
he replied that he had a 100% success rate.
That was an astonishing response. I asked how that was possible and he
explained to me what I hope to explain to you.
We measure our
success by how consistently we offer each client hope for their future. Our
life skill classes, chapel speakers, worship services, work therapy program,
spiritual counseling, meals, recreation and clean clothes all contribute to the
new life we offer every client. Each person is given the same opportunity to
learn, respond, speak, confess, plan and achieve their goals. Our staff strives
to be loving, truthful, consistent, disciplined, honest and Christ-like.
Each client
arrives with unique needs and shares problems similar to others. Many have
spent years destroying their physical, emotional and spiritual abilities. Some
have spent years or decades in prison. Some have lived in the woods or on the
streets for the same amount of time. Many have destroyed their relationships
with family, spouses and friends. They have become islands adrift in a
community that has all but given up hope on them. As a result, when they
finally come to their senses or are released from prison, they have no one to
turn to for help.
In the Gospel of
Mark we read that …a man ran up and knelt before him and asked [Jesus], “Good
Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him… You
know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, [etc.] …’” And
he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus,
looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all
that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and
come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he
had great possessions…. And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How
difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!”
And the disciples were amazed at his words… and said to him, “Then who can be
saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with
God. For all things are possible with God.”
(Mark 10: 17-27)
For every ten
clients that come to our shelter, two or three want to stay for our eleven
month New Life Recovery Program. This program offers all the services mentioned
above and more. For every ten men who enter the New Life Program, six will
diligently work and complete the program. Every person that comes to our door
is offered help to the degree that they choose. We force no one to stay if they
do not want to be in our facility. We offer them the same opportunity and
information for them to decide. By their own choosing and their own behavior
they stay or the leave. The choice is theirs completely to follow the Program
and God’s leading or to choose to walk away. It may seem impossible for such
people to have success and hope in their lives but with God all things are
possible.
