VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 11 • DECEMBER 2017

Proud “Certified Excellent” member of the Association of Gospel Rescue Missions, accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, and recognized as a “Four Star Charity” by Charity Navigator.

774 Hazel Street • Macon, Georgia 31201 • T: 478.743.5445www.RescueMissionGA.com

Make Us Your Mission

THE GIFTp.7

Merry Christmas

GOD IS THE ONLY WAYp.8

Merry Christmas FROM THE RESCUE MISSION OF

MIDDLE GA FAMILY

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EXECUTIVE BOARDCharlie Cantrell CHAIRMANStewart Vernon VICE-CHAIRBeverly Olson SECRETARY Susan Collins TREASURERKathy Hawkins MEMBER-AT-LARGEBlake Sullivan MEMBER-AT-LARGE

BOARD OF DIRECTORSDr. Bill ArgoBobby Cramer Frank MalloyRobby RedmondChris R. Sheridan Louis Frank Tompkins Jeff ThompsonWimberly Treadwell

ADVISORY BOARDOliver Bateman III Martha BlueSenator Saxby ChamblissAshley CopelanCarolyn CraytonSheriff David Davis Ed DeforeJimmy FainMichael KetterbaughTommy MixonMayor Robert Reichert

PRESIDENT/CEOPat Chastain

03 FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK Celebrating What God is Doing

at The Mission

04 BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT Beverly Olson

05 NEEDS LIST Women’s and Men’s Division Needs

Christmas Dinner

06 WOMEN’S DIVISION Genuine Love

07 MEN’S DIVISION HAPPENINGS The Gift

08 TESTIMONY FROM THE MISSION God is the Only Way

10 SCENES FROM AROUND THE MISSION November in Review

14 BARGAIN CENTER Jesus Cares

15 UPCOMING EVENTS Winter Graduation

VOLUME 18 • ISSUE 11 • DECEMBER 2017

A community service product of Panaprint.

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The Christmas Holidays are here and we are so excited about what God is doing in and through the lives of men and women at the Rescue Mission of Middle Ga. A lot of times people ask, “Isn’t it sad to know that men and women are in a recovery program during Christmas?” I tell them emphatically “NO”. Because for the rest of their life, during every Christmas season, they will remember where they were that one Christmas, when it all changed, when life stopped being one big chaotic scramble, where nothing seemed to come together. It will always be a reminder of the goodness of Jesus Christ and how He saved their life. When I think about it long enough, it’s really a reflection of why it is we celebrate Christmas here at the Mission. You see, Christmas represents the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In turn, that’s what will be happening here this Christmas at the Rescue Mission. We will be celebrating the new lives of women who decided to get out of an unhealthy and abusive relationship and men who decided that drugs, alcohol and homelessness are no longer their identity and they can change. When you get right down to it, this is what Christmas is all about. It’s a time of hope and redemption. A time where families come together in the name of Jesus Christ and celebrate a new life!

Now, you may be asking, how can I participate in what’s going on at the Mission this Christmas season? There are a few avenues you can take. First, we need men and women that will deliver meals out into our community. We delivered over 700 meals last year and we need drivers. You can also sponsor a family for Christmas. We have more than 43 men and women in our long term program with 17 children and we have to find a way to make sure they have a wonderful experience during this Christmas as well. To volunteer for any of these positions, please feel free to contact Amy Walker at amy@rescuemissionga.com or 478-743-5445 ext. 403.

As always, we love each and every one of you so much and we are so blessed to have you in our life! God bless you and have a Merry Christmas!

FROM THE President’s Desk

Pat ChastainPresident/CEO

CelebratingWHAT GOD IS DOING AT THE MISSION

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Mrs. Beverly Olson has served on the Board of Directors at the Rescue Mission for over 20 years. She exemplifies what “volunteering” and “being the hands and feet of Jesus” truly means. Not only does she serve on our Board, she volunteers at the Macon Bibb Law Enforcement Foundation, Mercer Athletics and the Macon Sports Hall of Fame to name a few.

Beverly grew up in Miami, Florida before moving to Macon in 1978 with her husband for his work with The Macon Telegraph. She is passionate about many things, “God, my family, singing in the choir at FPC, Sunday school, children-health, education and abuse prevention; Red Cross/Central GA helping local disaster needs; Military and Veterans; Football – University of FL, Mercer Bears and Atlanta Falcons are favorites”.

Beverly’s parents were strong believers in “giving back” through volunteer work. Beverly began her volunteer work in Miami, FL at the Museum of Arts and Sciences and the Fairchild Gardens. She moved to the Junior League in Tallahassee, working with Easter Seals, then Charlotte (NC) with the Arts and Science Council and with Red Cross Blood donations. Macon Junior League allowed her different opportunities selling Landmark Linens, Marketplace and beginning a new program at the Museum that allowed volunteers to work with animals and children for their school field trips.

When she is not volunteering Beverly enjoys her pets – 3 dogs, 1 bird and a snake which all require attention of varying kinds. She has found art with colored pencils to be a fun hobby as well as knitting. She tries to read the paper every day, even at night or days later.

We are so thankful for Mrs. Beverly Olson and her generous, loving spirit. Thank you for being a part of what God is doing at the Rescue Mission and in our community.

Board Member SPOTLIGHT

Beverly Olson

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Needs LIST STAFFPat Chastain

President/CEOTina Hicks

Vice President of FinanceDawn Burns

Vice President of OperationsArtecia Knight

Logistics CoordinatorGreg Brooks

Food Service & Maintenance Supervisor

PROGRAMSJason Beck

Vice President of ProgramsYashica Lyons

Women’s Program DirectorKathlyn Wohlrabe

Women’s CounselorVernice Chappell Women’s Evening

SupervisorLinda Wessells

Case ManagerEmily Smallwood Women’s Assistant

DEVELOPMENTHeather Griffin

Development DirectorAmy Walker

Development CoordinatorJaime Kaplan

Special Events CoordinatorTo Donate: Visit www.rescuemissionga.com,

call us at 478-743-5445 ext. 314 or Email us - donate@rescuemissionga.com

Toilet Paper

Paper Towels

Alka Seltzer Plus cold medication

Shampoo

Lysol spray

Hair brushes

Men’s razors

Bleach

Men’s & Women’s DIVISION NEEDS

The Women’s Division currently has 17 children and 7 women and we are in need of another refrigerator for their dayroom. If anyone has one they would like to donate please contact Yashica Lyons at yashica@rescuemissionga.com or 478-743-5445 ext. 307. Thank you so very much!

Thank you for helping this Christmas season to feed those that come to the Mission. Your gift provides hope to those that are hurting and allows us to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Your Christmas gift of…..

$153.75 provides 75 meals & hope

$102.50 provides 50 meals & hope

$51.25 provides 25 meals & hope

$30.75 provides 15 meals & hope

Christmas DINNER

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Women’s Division HAPPENINGSby Yashica Lyons, Women’s Program Director

I am continually amazed at the LOVE shown from this community throughout the year. The love is consistent all year long but there is something special during Thanksgiving and Christmas. God always shows up and provides everything we need.

Love is contagious. HIS love can’t and won’t be held in. It flows freely through each of you as you support what the Mission is and what HE is doing here. You are a true example of Luke 10:27 – “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.”

Your continued support to our women and children during the Christmas season allows them to experience genuine love. They are able to know that life is turning around and that through all the heartache there is a way to start new beginnings. They are encouraged to continue on the path of redemption through Christ and embrace their journey.

So from all of us to you, THANK YOU! Thank you for allowing the love of Christ to lead you to open your hearts in order to help mend others.

With love,

GENUINE LOVE

Yashica Lyons Women’s Program Director

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It’s already Christmas time again; wow this year really seemed to fly by. I was recently going through some things and found a gift from a past Christmas. It was still in its original package. Unfortunately, I had completely forgotten about it until I laid my eyes on it. As soon as I saw it I remembered everything about that moment, the laughter, the giver of the gift, the fact that I thought it was something I really needed. I began thinking; I wonder how many of us do the same thing with the greatest gift ever, the gift of Jesus Christ. How many of us accept and receive this amazing gift only to find ourselves developing interests that begin to cause our focus to be turned away from that which we truly need.

Over time this gift gets pushed into the corner of the closet. In weeks and months to follow we will continue to throw things on top of it and before we know it the gift is completely covered up. We tend to recall this gift only after we run across it when actually looking for something completely different.

Thank you God for the precious gift you’ve provided us all through Jesus Christ. To know that the creator of the universe would love us so much that He sent Heaven’s best to provide a path of redemption, hope and reconciliation to those that are hurting and broken.

The very best part of life here at the Mission is being able to witness on a daily basis men and women in Christ whole heartedly trusting this new found gift. The way they hold and engage this sweet gift of new life and eternal salvation is a model to us all.

What have you done with your gift, is it buried in the closet somewhere, still in its original packaging or are you so overwhelmed with joy that you can’t help but share it with everyone you come in contact with?

We are praying you all have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

THE GiftMen’s Divison HAPPENINGSby Jason Beck, Vice President of Programs

Jason Beck Vice President of Programs

“But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still

sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8 –

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God is the Only WayTestimony FROM THE MISSION

I am 53 years old and I am just now learning to live free from the bondage of drugs, alcohol and hiding from my pain. I am so thankful I have this opportunity to share what God has done in my life since being at the Rescue Mission.

I had a pretty good childhood or so I have thought all of my life. My parents divorced when I was 2 and I lived with my mother until I was 14 years old when

I moved in with my dad in Cochran, Ga. I never wanted for anything as a child. My parents were always there and loved me.

I grew up thinking it was normal and okay to drink alcohol daily. I was around adults that did this and they were still able to function. So when I

started drinking it never occurred to me that these adults could be alcoholics. This was

normal behavior to me.

I started experimenting with drugs and alcohol when I was a freshman in high school. By the time I was 21 years old I had surgery on my shoulder which I received pain meds and that started a whole new problem in my life. Throughout the next 30 years I lost jobs, got married and divorced 2 times, received custody of my daughter and lost her to go live with my mom because my life was out of control. Getting pain meds continued to

be my main objective and the most important thing in my life. I learned to

use drugs, alcohol and even pain pills to

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CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Testimony CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

mask my feelings and this lifestyle became my normal. For 30 years this was my daily life, a vicious cycle I couldn’t stop. I thought I had everything under control but finally realized I didn’t. I needed the drugs to be able to function each day but this lifestyle became pure torture. It seems that anytime I was on the right path or doing well I would have to do something to sabotage my life. I had failed so many times that I thought everyone was waiting on me to fail again.

On January 4, 2017 I was locked up once again and realized that I had burned every bridge, disappointed all my loved ones and most of all I lost all hope. I knew I needed a safe place to go and I had already tried several other kinds of rehab programs, none of which were faith based. When my probation officer asked me if I would be interested in going to the Rescue Mission I thought maybe this is the place for me. On March 20, 2017 I arrived at the Mission and after being here for 7 months, my life has never been better.

When I walked in the front door I was amazed at all the love I felt from the residents and staff. They welcomed me and made me feel comfortable. It’s where my walk with Jesus Christ started. Before this point I can’t remember ever reading a bible even though people in my life had given me a bible. When I received the bible from Jason Beck and the notebook to begin a daily journal it felt like I was ready to start something I had never done before. Phase I, day one was different. Men just like me were sitting together in class and sharing things that made them feel broken. They were sharing their wounds and being open, honest and authentic. It didn’t take long for me to begin sharing my story. This gave me strength, hope and a bond with these men that will last a lifetime. I am now in Phase II with Pat Chastain and we are digging even deeper into our stuff. I now understand that the things that I keep hidden will only keep me unhealthy. On occasion, I can look back at my journal entries and see things that I was struggling with and see that by prayer and God’s grace I have overcome those fears and obstacles. This makes me feel happy and proud!

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SCENES FROM Around the Mission

Several of the guys had an outing to the 2017 All General Motors Car Show.

NOVEMBER IN REVIEW

Men’s Outing to the Movies

Volunteers from Crosspoint Church in Perry, GA came and cooked over 100 meals to serve to our daily bread line.

Staff and Resident outing to the movies to see “Same Kind of Different as Me”.

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Team Building 2017

Women’s Outing to the Georgia National Fair.

Robins Financial Credit Union employees recently donated over 75 coats and blankets to the Rescue Mission of Middle Georgia.

Women and children pictured are no longer in danger.

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Testimony CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

I have certainly eaten well since being here and gained quite a few pounds. The Mission has provided for all of my needs. I have had my medical needs met and now have my high blood pressure under control. I have worn dentures for years but when I arrived at the Mission I didn’t have any. Thanks to the awesome people in this community I have a full set of dentures. I can’t express my sincerest gratitude for this. Having my smile has allowed me to be confident in talking with others and sharing the love of God with my brothers here at the Mission. I received Christ in my life and all my sins were washed away and I have new hope now and a new life.

Being at the Rescue Mission has made me realize that without Jesus Christ in my life I will continue to go down the same roads I have traveled before. God has restored relationships that I thought were severed forever. Through Christ my family and I will continue to become closer.

I thank God for all the restored family relationships and all the renewed hope that I have. The outlook on my life looks great now, with God, my family and

the Mission by my side I look forward to the rest of my life!

I will graduate in January of 2018 and I really would like to get a job so I can start supporting my family. I have a good idea of a church I want to call my “home church”. I want to continue my time on earth searching and serving Jesus Christ. The Rescue Mission helped me so much I would like to donate some time to volunteer and give back to the place that has given so much to help me. I will continue to

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David Simmons, Federal Probation Officer & Friend

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be active in Celebrate Recovery so I can hopefully help someone else who was lost like me. Prayer has helped me so much and I am so thankful to the Rescue Mission and this community for their continued prayers and support. One of my favorite scriptures is 1 Thessalonians 5:17-19:

Testimony CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ

Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.

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Bargain CENTERBARGAIN CENTER STAFFShannon Haskell Vice President of Retail Operations

Niger Brown Store Manager

Tina Stovall Assistant Manager

Shameka Davis Production Manager

Barbara Tyler Sales Associate

DRIVERSArt Ellis Curtis RoundtreeDaniel Baggett Tony Travick

Please visit our

BARGAIN CENTER FACEBOOK PAGE

to find out about sales and see photos of some

of the available inventory.

www.facebook.com/ MissionBargainCenter/

He wakes to the sound of cars passing by and headlights reflecting off windows. It’s cold. It’s hard to sleep on days like this so he decides to get up and start his day. He sits up and begins to rub the pain from his shoulders and watches the fog of his breath dissipate into the early morning sky. It’s December but he isn’t sure what day. It’s all been a blur since he lost his job and began living on the streets.

He gets up and knocks over the bottle of alcohol he drank the night before. He regrets the day he picked up his first bottle. But these days it’s his only friend and helps him push through another day. It helps drown out the memories of being a successful businessman, or having a wife and daughter. It’s not so much their memories he is hiding from but rather the disappointment he feels for letting them down. “They are better off without me”, he says to himself.

He rolls up his sleeping bag and places it back into his pack. It’s early but he decides to head to the Mission and wait for his morning snack pack. As he approaches the Mission he sees a simple sign that reads: Jesus Cares.

Does He? He thinks to himself sarcastically.

The alcohol from the night before has worn off and his memories begin to surface as quickly as the morning sun behind him. He thinks about his wife and his daughter and tears begin to flow from his eyes, down his cheek, and are absorbed by his slightly torn sweater. He’s tempted to go get another bottle and rid himself of these memories.

As he gets up to leave a light comes on at the Rescue Mission and he feels a tug on his heart. He tries to resist but it becomes stronger. He’s tempted to run but before he does someone steps outside the door and asks “Can I help you brother?”

With tears in his eyes he says, “I want my life back”.

The gentleman smiles and says, “You came to the right place” and invites him in. Still a bit fearful he accepts the invitation and walks towards the door. Before he reaches the door he feels the wind pick up and hears a gentle whisper that says these three words, “I do care.” He can’t help but smile as he walks through the door. He knows it will be a long journey but now he has something he lost five years ago, hope.

When you shop at the Bargain Center you help change Lives!! Because when you donate local, shop local, you change local. Thank you for being part of that change!

JESUS CARES

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Bargain CENTER

THE RESCUE MISSION OF MIDDLE GEORGIABOARD OF DIRECTORS AND STAFFREQUEST YOUR PRESENCE AT OUR

Graduation CeremonyFRIDAY, THE TWELFTH OF JANUARY

TWO THOUSAND AND EIGHTEENAT SIX THIRTY IN THE EVENING

WILLINGHAM CHAPEL MERCER UNIVERSITY

COME SEE THE RESULTS OF YOUR COMPASSION AND GENEROSITY AS WE CELEBRATE THE

ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF OUR LATEST GRADUATING CLASS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL THE RESCUE MISSION OF MIDDLE GEORGIA

AT 478-743-5445.

6:30PM PRAISE | 7:00PM GRADUATION | 8:00PM REFRESHMENTS

P.O. Box 749 | M

acon, GA 31202

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