Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
A year ago at this time, A year ago at this time, Christina celebrated her fi rst Christina celebrated her fi rst sober birthday in 18 years!sober birthday in 18 years!
What an incredible accomplishment for someone who What an incredible accomplishment for someone who began drinking and using drugs when she was just 12 years old!began drinking and using drugs when she was just 12 years old!
“I went down a very dark road at a very young age.”“I went down a very dark road at a very young age.”It took a long time and incredible struggle for Christina It took a long time and incredible struggle for Christina
to break her addiction. “I was a full-blow alcoholic for 13 to break her addiction. “I was a full-blow alcoholic for 13 years. I lost my job. I lost my car, and I had to live with my years. I lost my job. I lost my car, and I had to live with my Mom because of mental, physical and emotional abuseMom because of mental, physical and emotional abuse
1430 Pacifi c Avenue ■ Long Beach, CA 90813-1717 ■ 562-591-1292 ■ www.LBRM.org
Christina continued on page 3 >>>Christina continued on page 3 >>>
“I never knew what God could do!”
R escueR E V I E W
A Message from Robert from Robert
“Brother, can you spare a dime?”
Give it up forhunger
22
2
3
Long Beach Rescue Mission Helping the Homeless ■ Changing Lives
F a l l I s s u e 2015
“Brother, can you spare a dime?”
2
It’s only September, but we’re getting ready for the holidays.
We’ll need more than 170 turkeys and 200 pounds of potatoes for our Annual � anksgiving Dinner. In the days and weeks before � anksgiving, we’ll need hundreds of volunteers.
And, we need prayers. Prayers that the food we
need will be provided. Prayers that we’ll have enough room for all the new folks coming our way.
Most of all, prayers that those who join us for a meal or shelter will stay on and enter the programs that can get them into a right relationship with the Lord and back on their feet!
You can help by donating food, or making a gift to purchase it. Or, bring your family or church group to volunteer, especially beforethe holidays. And please pray
– for our sta� and for those in our community who need His help to � nd better lives.
Serving with you,
Robert Probst Executive Director
A Message from Robert
Serving with you,
Robert Probst
You’re too young to remember this You’re too young to remember this song that became the anthem of the song that became the anthem of the great depression in the early 1930’s.great depression in the early 1930’s.
Back then, 10¢ would buy a box of cereal, two loaves of bread, a pound of cereal, two loaves of bread, a pound of hamburger or two cups of co� ee!hamburger or two cups of co� ee!
Today, a cup of co� ee can set you Today, a cup of co� ee can set you back $2 or more. back $2 or more.
But here at Long Beach Rescue Mission, you can still provide a hungry Mission, you can still provide a hungry person with a full home-cooked meal person with a full home-cooked meal for just $2.20!for just $2.20!
$19.80 to feed and care for 9 people. For $52.80 you can provide people. For $52.80 you can provide food and care for 24!food and care for 24!
Providing a Providing a meal is not our meal is not our only goal. Every Every donation you make donation you make helps provide food, helps provide food, shelter, education, job shelter, education, job training, health care and access to all the other services that can put an individual – or an entire family – back on their feet!
So please, make a gift today. Use the enclosed envelope, or give online at www.LBRM.org.
� ank you!
Eat. Love. Pray.
Alumni Update
You’re invited!
It’s your support that’s changing hundreds of lives each day at the hundreds of lives each day at the Mission. Here’s one of the many Mission. Here’s one of the many success stories you’ve made possible...success stories you’ve made possible...
When Mared came to the Mission, When Mared came to the Mission, he wasn’t ready to let go of his old life. he wasn’t ready to let go of his old life. “I made really bad decisions fueled by “I made really bad decisions fueled by drugs,” he says. He had no interest to drugs,” he says. He had no interest to join our New Life recovery program. join our New Life recovery program.
But staying overnight gave Mared a new perspective. “It gave me the a new perspective. “It gave me the opportunity to observe the men in opportunity to observe the men in the program.” What he saw got his the program.” What he saw got his attention – men bettering their lives, attention – men bettering their lives, with the support of our chaplains and with the support of our chaplains and the love of God in their lives. the love of God in their lives.
Mared wanted that kind of life change. It led him to join the program, change. It led him to join the program,
where he not only got clean and sober, but read the Bible for the � rst time and developed a relationship with the
Lord. He even � nished the Long Beach half-marathon!
“I can’t thank the leadership at the Mission enough for literally saving my life.”
Today, Mared is a graduate of the program and works as a sales associate at Costco, where his supervisors praise his work ethic. “God is so good,” he says, smiling. “I’ve been blessed to see how the New Life Program can change people for the best.”
Please join us for our second Annual Fundraising Gala, Annual Fundraising Gala, Your Light MattersMatters!
� e Gala will be on � ursday, � e Gala will be on � ursday, December 10 at the Hilton Long December 10 at the Hilton Long Beach (701 West Ocean Boulevard) Beach (701 West Ocean Boulevard) and will include a silent auction, dinner and will include a silent auction, dinner and a program.and a program.
� e cost is $100 per person or $1,000 per table of ten.
In addition, we have added 3 sponsorship levels:
Star Light - $5,000Shining Light - $3,000Bright Light - $1,500
For reservations, tickets or more information, visit LBRM.org or LBRM.org or LBRM.orgcontact Lydna Peluso at (562) 216- 7613.
We hope to see you there!
MattersMatters!
3
Praying for Leaders in Long Beach
from my son’s father. It took me a long time to get out [of that relationship], and he � nally beat me up and put me in the hospital.”
Christina ended up living on the streets until she “woke up” one day and realized she needed help.
She checked herself into a program where she not only found freedom from her addictions, but a relationship with the Lord!
“I hadn’t really known God my whole life. As a kid, I went with a neighbor to Bible study, but I never knew what God could do. I never gave Him that chance.”
� e program was only 60 days, and at the end, Christina knew she needed “way more God and way more help.” � at’s when she got the opportunity to become a part of the year-long New Life Discipleship Program here at the Mission.
“I’m blessed and happy to wake up every day.”“I’m � lled with the joy of the Lord; I feel like God
is using me and giving me an opportunity to be what He has always wanted me to be. It just took me a long time to get here.”
Christina is not only doing well at the Mission, but reestablishing relationships with family. “My brother and my mom are so proud of me – they’ve waited for this day for a very long time. I’m going to start having visitation with my son...God has already promised me that He’s going to bring us back together.”
“I want to be part of the ministry.”Christina has worked as a waitress, and when
she � rst got sober, she thought about being an x-ray technician. Now, she wants to be a part of the ministry.
“Being out on the streets for so long, you really come to a point where you think there is no way out. But God will show you the way, and I want to be somewhere where I can show others that God is good.”
“� ey really do change lives!”“I give all the glory to God,” Christina says of her
near-miraculous transformation. “And the people here truly care. � e only way
I know about God and am able to grow in that relationship is because of the Mission.”
“Everything is provided for us and we don’t have to worry about all that worldly stu� right now. And what’s even more amazing is that they don’t just kick you out on the street after you graduate, they help you come back into society and be good people and be leaders. � is is an amazing place to be. I’m just so grateful to be here!”
“It’s a wonderful way to start the day with others who care so much about our city!”
There’s still time to sign up for the 33rd Annual Long Beach Prayer Breakfast on Friday, September 25 from 7-9 a.m. at the Renaissance Hotel.
You are invited to join us as we take time to pray for our local leaders, cities, schools, churches and organizations.
There will also be a delicious breakfast, music and an inspirational address by Casey Gwinn, J.D., President of Alliance for HOPE.
Make plans now to be part of this uplifting morning!To register, please visit lbprayer.com. For more information about the event, or
sponsorship opportunities, contact Lynda Peluso at (562) 591-1292 or [email protected].
33rd Annual Prayer Breakfast
Thank you to our event sponsor,
Wells Fargo Advisors!
>>> Christina’s incredible story continued
Donate online at www.LBRM.org, or call (562) 591-1292.
CREDIT CARD #
EXP. DATE PHONE #
Long Beach Rescue MissionP.O. Box 1969Long Beach, CA 90801-1969
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY / STATE/ ZIP
_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________ FAL15
❍ $19.80 to feed and care for 9 people ❍ $52.80 to feed and care for 24 people ❍ $74.80 to feed and care for 34 people ❍ $_________ to help as much as possible
❍ Check enclosed ❍ Bill my credit card
❍ ❍ ❍ ❍
During the week of November 14-22, the Mission is taking part in National Hunger & Homelessness Awareness Week – Awareness Week – Awareness Week a nationwide e� ort to make more people aware of the problems of hunger and homelessness across
America and right here in Long Beach. Join your friends and neighbors by skipping a meal
or your morning cup of co� ee and donating the money you would have spent to provide food and care for you would have spent to provide food and care for people here at the Mission.
� is is also a great chance to bring together your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, or your church, school or civic group to:
• Serve a meal here at the Mission.• Organize a drive to collect canned food, clothing
(especially warm coats and jackets), socks & underwear, hygiene items, sheets & blankets.For more information on food or clothing drives,
contact Mario Galeano at [email protected]. We will schedule donation pickups and even provide collection bins!
Volunteers, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at [email protected] or call [email protected] or call [email protected] (562) 591-1291, ext. 1021291, ext. 102.
America and right here in Long Beach.
Give it up
for hunger
5good reasons to donate your gently-used clothing and household items:
1. You clean out your drawers, closets and garage
2. Homeless men, women & children get much-needed clothing free of charge
3. You get a tax deduction
4. Clothing and goods that are not given away to those in need can be sold to provide money for Mission programs and services
5. The Mission Thrift Store is also a great place to fi nd fantastic bargains on a huge selection of dinnerware, glassware, furniture, toys, jewelry and electronics
� rift Store Warehouse702 W. Anaheim Street, Long Beach, CAMonday Monday – Saturday, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm– Saturday, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Volunteers: We need help sorting and hanging clothes, tidying the store and assisting customers. Volunteers with an in-depth knowledge of online sales and product/inventory pricing are especially welcome! Contact our Volunteer Coordinators at [email protected] or call [email protected] or call [email protected](562) 591-1291, ext. 102.
Give it up…for good!
Here’s my 2015 Annual Thanksgiving Campaign gift:
