Rev. Andy's Blog

Never Too Late

by Rev. Andy on Thursday, July 3rd, 2008, Filed Under Rev Andy's Blog | View Comments

This week was an especially encouraging week despite all of the challenges. In our Tuesday morning chapel, we heard the stories of 5 men who are graduating from our intense, 1 year training program here at Union Rescue Mission. These were 5 men with 5 powerful stories of transformation. All of the stories were amazing, but I will only share two:

Antonio shared the struggle of having a son who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, at only a few months old! On shaky ground already, Antonio dealt with the pain by falling deeper into drug and alcohol abuse until he lost everything, including almost losing his family. But his wife directed him to the Christian Life Discipleship Program here at Union Rescue Mission. For the first time, Antonio read the Bible and experienced a change in his heart through accepting Jesus Christ as his Savior. After completing the program, Antonio shared that he now has his family, his sobriety, and a job! He has committed to living a pure life, so that his son, now 6 years old, will be able to accept a healthy lung transplant from Antonio when his son reaches age 18. Antonio has important reasons to stay alive and to live a healthy life. We were all brought to tears by his story and his commitment to save the life of his son.

Irvin then began to share his journey. He kidded that he started a camping trip in the year 2000 and it didn’t end until 2007. “Nobody goes camping for 7 years!” he said. Then Irvin got serious. He shared how he had run from God and for 7 years he was trapped by a cocaine addiction on San Julian, the mean street just behind our Mission. He said that one day, he was lying out there on the sidewalk, starving to death, thirsty in the heat, and he decided to come into the Mission. Irvin said that he came in with a commitment for 3 months only, but after arriving decided to give his whole self and heart to God. Irvin has now completed a year, works all over the Mission with our Maintenance department, and is looking forward to coming on staff at Union Rescue Mission. When Irvin mentioned that he was starving to death on the street behind the Mission in 2007, I suddenly saw the face and body of a man who I had handed a cold bottle of water to late last year. I remembered Irvin in red gym shorts, unable to stand up, a wisp of a man, ribs showing. I remembered calling my friend, Sergeant Deon Joseph of the LAPD, and telling him that a man was dying on the street on San Julian. After chapel, I asked Irvin if he remembered a big, strong, African American police officer coming to his aid on the streets. Irvin said, “Yes, he gave me your card and told me to get off the street and into URM’s program, but I wasn’t ready quite yet.” But Irvin didn’t forget. He came in and experienced a complete life change, when most experts and the world would have said it was too late. That shriveled up, dying man, lost in addiction is now a strong, hard working, friendly ambassador of life changing power.

I had a renewed strength and passion to go out onto the streets this week with cold water. Last night, as I joined a monthly neighborhood walk with several dignitaries, a young man approached me and said he needed help. He said he had been homeless in Portland for 10 years and had just arrived in town. I shared with him about our programs and opportunities at URM. I thought about waiting until after the walk to take him back to the Mission, but I looked at him and said, “I think you have done enough walking.” As we left the dignitaries and the walk behind, he was startled by the violence, behavior and smell of Skid Row. We only walked one block back to the Mission, but this young man asked me, “You walked all the way out here alone?” We walked into the Mission and were quickly met by staff members who are former program graduates. They welcomed Ray and after a tour of URM, he joined our program. What a joy it is to work at the Mission and get to be a part of bringing life changing hope to people who are struggling. Andy B.

  • Richard Walden

    “He said he had been homeless in Portland for 10 years and had just arrived in town.”

    That makes no sense at all.

    And while I will not deny that UGM provides a needed service, I have problems with organizations that made people “sing for their supper”, or “pray for their place”.

    The way I read the gospels (which
    i do, regularly) Jesus fed and healed people first, offered sermons later.

    I may be mistaken, in which case
    I’m willing to be corrected, but mandatory prayer and chapel for people in need is abusive and abhorrent.

    WWJD? I don’t always know. But he certainly would not require worship before he offered succor.

    If my understanding of your agency is correct, Jesus would condemn you as pharisees.

    I am willing to be corrected if wrong, but UGM, Salvation Army, PRM, and City Team seem almost anti-Christian to me. Or at least, the Christianity of the Emperor Hadrian and Pope
    Urban rather than the Christianity of Jesus, Peter, and Paul.

    Please tell me I’m wrong.

    Richard Walden,
    from downtown Portland

  • kayakotto

    In reply to the aritcle and the comment I would like to say I support most all attempts to help the still suffering addict or alcoholic. As a CCDC I am fully aware that there are many many methods and modalities when it comes to reaching out with a helping hand. Almost all have their adherents as well as detractors. The point is these people and organizations are at least reaching out and attempting to do something positive about the situation, and I applaud them. I found a free booklet at http://www.stopaddiction.com called “Guide to Addiction Recovery for a Lifetime” which contains some good basic data on the subject of addiction and may be of help to anyone, regardless of methods or modalities. Not necessarily for everyone, but the more we share information and resources rather than condemn others efforts the better.

  • Andy Bales

    Richard and Kayakotto,
    Thank you, for taking time to weigh in with your well thought out statements.
    Ray was being honest in that he just arrived in LA looking for a new start and was surprised by the adverse conditions on Skid Row.
    Over twenty years ago both I, leading a different Mission in Des Moines, Iowa and URM had much the same reaction to what you described as ‘singing for your supper’. We decided to feed, house, and assist our guests without restriction, and invite our guests completely voluntarily to join us in chapel and hear the gospel. We found the guests to be much more engaged and open to listen when they made the choice to attend after having their needs met, and the response has been very positive. Jesus is still the focal point of our Mission and a relationship with Him is still the most dynamic cause of a changed life in our ministry.
    Ray decided to join our intense, holistic 1 year Christian Life Discipleship, complete with education, PE, counseling, volunteer opportunities and job training of his own choice out of a variety of opportunities. He already looked like a new man when I shook his hand and connected him with a new friend before dinner on Thursday evening before the Holiday, and I have been praying for him over the weekend.
    Thanks again for providing the opportunity to clear this up! Bless you both! Andy B.

  • bg.dog1

    In Reply To Richard Walden, I Understand Your Beliefs And Your Concerns, I Came To The Union Rescue Mission In 2003 After Losing My Job And Suffering From Substance And Alcohol Abuse, And Joined The C.L.D.P. Rehabilitation Program, Its A Christian Based Program, I Was There 2 Years, Within That Time I Too Sing Praises To To God And Thank Him For His Many Blessings, You May Have Heard Things About The U.R.M. I Was Apart Of The U.R.M. Family, And Trust Me If It Was Not For The U.R.M. I Maybe Would Not Have Reunited With My Family, And Not Just Get A Job But Retain My Job, You See Mr. Walden The Mission Offers One On one Counseling, Free Medical And Dental Services Room And Board, Whats Wrong With Singing Praises To God, Its Not Mandatory, Gods Holy Spirit Is In The U.R.M. D.Hansbrough

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