Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Mon, Mar 18, 2013
In the March Newsletter, we published an article based on a follow-up interview with Richard and his son Chris, who moved into the Adams St. Family Campus in September of 2012.
The interview with Richard and Chris was a lot of fun. We ended up talking about so much that we were only able to include a part of our conversation in the newsletter article. This blog post will cover some of what we had to leave out.
(Richard) As far as I go . . . I’ve got a lot closer to God, which I wanted to be. Before I came here, into the program, I felt out of communication with God. And just a couple weeks ago, I just felt back to where I was close enough to His presence to where that communication’s been re-established. I feel peace. I’ve got direction for where I want my family to go. I’ll be graduating (from the New Life Program) in August.
(RM) So, what’s going on in the Youth Program?
(Chris) Yes, well last night actually, we went over to a DJ. Just hung out there. Other than that I’ve just mostly been focusing on school, ROTC program.
(RM) You did football, right?
(Chris) Yes. I did football this year. Over the summer there will be seasoning, pre-conditioning. But other than that…
(Richard) He’s taking track. He starts that next month. So he’ll be plenty busy. And he keeps dad busy too, cuz he wakes me up at 5:30 every day to take him to school.
(RM) Is that a zero period for ROTC, or…?
(Chris) It’s for drill team; our last comp is this Saturday, at Prairie.
(Richard) He goes to school Friday morning at 2:30am, and they get home at 10pm Saturday. But kids have a lot more energy than dads, it seems like! That’s something else we’ve started too. Thursday mornings at 6am, we do an exercise workout here. No leaders, we just come in and do it. It’s the Insanity video – we put it on that tv right there to put a little health back in us. And it really does help a lot.
(Richard) So we’re getting the whole circle here. Physical, mental and spiritual now. We’re doing quite a bit of growing. I’m happy with it. He’s going to a youth conference, too. Youth For Christ at the end of next week?
(Chris) It starts on the 28th, Thursday, through the 2nd. It’s activities and concerts. It’ll be fun.
When asked about his experience with the Challenge Learning Program:
(Richard) I’m struggling a little bit with English, boy they’ve changed the rules since I did that! I’m getting registered for school. I’m going back to school for an associates to be a teacher, to go on for a transfer degree. I’ll have a certificate for social services and mental health. It’ll be open so I’ve got choices later. It’s a good background for us.
(RM) You have quite a plan!
(Richard) Yes. The biggest thing though, is the business that we want to open . . . It’s gonna be charity support services is what we’re calling it, which is a fancy word for party supplies . . . this business is a way of giving back. Helping charities out. It’s gonna be a couple of bouncy houses, a party tent, a karaoke machine, and a BBQ trailer. And what we’re gonna do is rent this out to charities for $350 a day, a 24 hour period. Which is a very good price, so that way they can sell tickets and raise money for their charity. We will eventually turn it into a non-profit to sponsor people like myself with families in other countries. Or single women with children . . .
When asked about the Case Managers, or mentors, that NLP participants work with:
(Richard) They do stick with you, they go through our work-books with us, through the intimate details of them . . . along with the group . . . we also discuss things as brothers . . . We give each other encouragement, or constructive criticism, which is a very delicate situation at times. But we do it with love. We’re not trying to hurt people. But sometimes you know, people say things and you take it a little harshly. But that’s part of the process too, learning to grow and to deal with that.
(RM) When you graduate the program, are you moving out of Adams, or going into the Applied Living Program?
(Richard) The Applied Living Program is great to know that it is there for us. We’ll probably take advantage of it for a couple months. But I’m anxious to put the program into action. And I know Christopher is, too . . .
(Richard) This morning I was listening to a ministry, online, that was talking about time is what life is made of, so if you love life so much, you should make the most value out of your time. I didn’t do that before. Before, it was all about materialistic things, and now it’s more about meaningful things. Spending time with my family. That’s what’s gonna make it more content in life.
Congratulations to Richard and Chris on their accomplishments and progress. We look forward to celebrating with them when Richard graduates the New Life Program.
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org
Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Wed, Dec 07, 2011
The book of Luke tells the story of the birth of John the Baptist, and the birth of Jesus. Many of us read that story at Christmas and marvel and celebrate. Within the story of the birth of John is the reaction of his father Zechariah. In Luke 1:11 it says that Zechariah saw a vision that he was to have a son in his old age and he would called John. No sooner had he saw the vision than he began to question the angel who had visited him. How? Why? What? He was full of questions and doubts. The story goes onto to say that he was struck mute until the birth of John, at which time he was able to speak, and was full of praise and good things to say.
So often we forget that our words are a gift, or if you let it be, a curse. When faced with opportunities and interactions this Christmas will your words bring doubt, confusion, and pain? Or will you be intentional, and make sure your words are a gift?
When I read the story of the birth of John the Baptist I wonder what lessons God was trying to teach us in silencing the doubts and fears of Zechariah. Would his words have been too depressing and discouraging for his wife Elizabeth? Would his words have been poisonous and fearful, creating an atmosphere that would have made the house a tough place for a woman to go through labor?
Whatever the reason, clearly we know that sometimes it's just better to keep quiet than to add doubt, discouragement and fear to someone's life. Instead, make your words like a wonderfully wrapped gift. A compliment or encouragement, even a lesson, wrapped in authenticity and kindness.
How much better would Christmas be if that were the case for all of us?
David Curry
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org
Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Thu, Dec 01, 2011
A few days ago when a crew of interior designers was decorating the tree at the Rescue Mission Adams St. Family Campus, a young child came up and looked at the Christmas decorations with wide-eyed enthusiasm. Then he said, "Are you Mary Christmas?" It melted the hearts of the folks there, but it's also a great lesson for us.
What are you doing to be a blessing to others? Are you bringing joy, peace, and love to others or are you waiting for others to be a blessing to you?
You can be the embodiment of Christmas to some young (or old) person. All you need to do is look for opportunities to give, serve and love.
Don't wait for December 25th to be Mary Christmas for someone.
David Curry
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org
Posted by Rescue Mission Team on Tue, Mar 01, 2011
For years I've been a fan of Garrison Keilor's Prairie Home Companion for his unparreleled ability to imagine and tell a story that will get you wrapped up in another world. Nearly always there is a moral or two in his weekly updates from that the land where "the women are strong, the men are good looking and the children are all above average", Lake Wobegon.
Some of you may recall his story A Rich, Full Life, in which he makes the statement, "any two people can be friends if they find the way in which they need each other".
Over the years I've often ruminated on that statement and wondered about how to bring people together. It's one of the great questions non-profit leaders should be asking.
Here are a few ideas for how to bring people of different backgrounds, competing interests, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles together.
1. Common Love. Years ago when we were embroiled in the cold war there was a movement to appeal to both America and Russia to abandon mutually assured destruction by considering their love of their children. At the time I thought it was a compelling argument and history has now shown that this kind of thinking was playing a part in bringing people to a point of agreement, even if it wasn't the tipping point for the fall of the Soviet Union. Is there a common object, person, goal that you and your opposition both love? Can you try to bring the focus on this?
2. Common Values. Strangely, often people with very similar values end up at war because of personal grievances. You agree on everything, but you just can't get along and see eye to eye. This is prideful, petty and very, very human. It's also very common. Trying to refocus on the values and commonalities can often be just enough to help people forgive and refocus.
3. Common Enemy. Often you can bring people together who totally disagree if they have a common enemy. That enemy can be something totally abstract, like hunger, fear, or terrorism. It can also be a person, say, Osama Bin Laden. In no way am I advocating that this is a useful tactic in most situations, but in some circumstances it is entirely healthy.
4. Common Goals. Often people really want to end up at the same place, they just totally disagree about how to get there. Such is life. Sometimes that cannot be easily bridged, but often it helps to bring people back to the common goals.
In the end, sometimes you can't bring people together, the differences are too great. But it is always worth a try.
What do you think of my list? Are there other ways we can bring people together who are at war? Share you ideas, I'd love to hear them.
David Curry
Read all of David Curry's blogs at
http://blog.rescue-mission.org or visit the Rescue Mission at
http://www.rescue-mission.org