“I’m chasing a new lifestyle… a new structure for peace.”
Romex stood at the front door of the Mission, gathering his courage to come in the first time… “I just wanted to get away from friends who were doing things they shouldn’t be doing and start over. Do things the right way,” Romex says.
For as long as he could remember, Romex had done things the wrong way. He grew up with a single mom who moved around a lot and had a string of abusive boyfriends, so he learned early on not to trust anyone. One of his bad decisions led to five years in jail in his early 20s, so he was determined not to go back to prison when he “ran on tough times, got laid off from my job and couldn’t afford to pay rent or bills.”
A friend told Romex about the Mission, and he knew it was his best chance to escape a life wasted on the streets or in prison. He entered the DREAM Transitional Housing Program and found a peace and purpose for his life he never could have imagined. Here, through your gifts, he was blessed with the essentials of safe shelter… nutritious meals… and everything he needed to feel comfortable and at home.
Coming to the Mission restored his faith in God, and Romex dedicated himself to improving his life and building a better future. “When you come to the Mission, everyone’s got a second chance somewhere. You just got to pay it forward.”
I just knew if I kept on the way I was going, I would end up in trouble again, and I didn’t want to give away any more time. “I just knew if I kept on the way I was going, I would end up in trouble again, and I didn’t want to give away any more time.”
Today, Romex goes to school for medical coding and billing. By the time he graduates from the DREAM program, he will be state certified and can go anywhere he wants to find work. He is thankful that the Lord has softened his heart and provided friends at the Mission, as well as a church and school family he’s come to rely on for support.
This Christmas, as Romex celebrates Christ’s birth, he’ll also celebrate the joyous new life he found inside our doors… because of your kind compassion. “Now I’m more peaceful, less angry, more patient and slow to speak. I’m at a point in my life now where I’m doing the right thing. I have people in my life who care about me and want to see me do good.”
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