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Harry is ready to go ‘100 percent in’ to Christ
Harry, now 35, spent his whole life in the Westchester area of Los Angeles until he got to the Mission last year. His dad raised him and his three sisters after his parents divorced when he was 4 years old. When Harry started growing up, particularly in middle school, he made new friends, and got…
Lives changed for good: Esteban
Esteban was in a dark place when he first experienced Jesus Christ. Struggling with anxiety and depression, Esteban was in the hospital. “I was having these intense panic attacks, like really, really bad,” he said. “The pastor at New Life Church, he met me there. And he laid his hand on me and prayed. And…
Lives changed for good: Gary
After suddenly losing his wife, and struggling with his twin boys—both with special needs—Gary turned to drinking. “I took to drinking pretty quickly,” Gary said. “As my boys became more difficult when they were approaching puberty, I started drinking more and more and more. I got myself into a place way over my head.” Gary…
Jonathan gets stronger, spiritually and mentally, for his daughter
Jonathan is from Los Angeles—the Westlake/McArthur Park area— where the streets were rough. His mother and father were from Guatemala and came to the United States when they were young. They had Jonathan, along with his older brother and two younger sisters. “We grew up poor,” Jonathan said. “With both of them coming to a…
After two years on the street, Jesus enters program, finds hope
When Jesus’ father came to the United States from Mexico, he had to work two jobs. He secured a visa for his family to join him. Jesus’ mom didn’t read or write English, but learned while raising Jesus, just 2 at the time they arrived in the U.S., and his three siblings. The family settled…
Newly Graduated Jose Calls Renewed Hope Program a ‘Big Blessing’
When Jose was facing charges at the beginning of last year, he asked for a drug program. “I knew if I wasn’t ordered, I wouldn’t go,” he said. “I kept asking myself, ‘If I can do it on my own, why haven’t I?’ My life was spiraling out of control.” Now, a year later, he…
Joel pauses high-pressure life to recover, reconnect
Both sets of Joel’s grandparents struggled with addiction, so he and his sisters were often warned about the danger of drugs and alcohol. “They all had heavy abuse issues,” Joel said. “It skipped my parents’ generation. They told me not to touch it, not to touch anything.” The warnings worked for a while. “I didn’t…
Anita says the Mission makes her ‘feel like I have a family again’
Anita was born in Ghana and spent her life there until tragedy brought her to the United States. Her husband had been living in New York for three years, and brought their two children out to join him in September 2017. Just three months later in December, all three died in an apartment fire. “I…
Crystal and her 4 kids built foundation at the Mission
Crystal’s father died when he was just 24, leaving behind a 21-year-old wife and three young daughters, ages 3, 5 and 6.“He had a heart attack, and all of my sisters and I were present when he passed away,” Crystal said. “It was tough. There was a lot of trauma from the beginning.” At 15,…
Renewed Hope men’s program celebrates growth, success in second year
What a year. It is fair to say that no one really expected the year to turn out the way it has. A global pandemic, and an economic shutdown, and a contested election are just a few of the obstacles that our country, our counties, and our cities have faced over this year. The Mission…
‘Kritter Kim’ Makes Name For Herself Years After Mission Stay
In 2013, Kimra and her husband, along with their daughter and her son from a previous relationship, embarked on a new life, moving from Iowa out to Southern California. But Kimra, a recovering drug addict, noticed her addiction worsen when she came out west. Kimra got divorced the next year, and got into a relationship…
Corey Wants ‘A Better Life’ For His 8-Year-Old Son
Corey’s mother had him when he was 15, and he was put up for adoption at a young age. “I was given to my family, and I had a really good upbringing,” he said. “It was a good family atmosphere. I went to good schools. “One thing I didn’t know was any family history. I…
