Hopelessly Addicted to Helping Up Mission!

I was in church one evening with my four children waiting for the service to start. Some people were coming from a place called “Helping Up Mission” to present their ministry. I had never visited the Mission but remember passing by it several times while driving through Baltimore City. At the time, I remember praying, “Please God, don’t let my car break down in this neighborhood!” I suppose I harbored the typical stereotypes about homelessness and addiction that most people do. In short, I was scared to death.
But, something happened that evening as I was listening to the stories of the men and how their lives had been transformed by the power of Christ. I was deeply moved and compelled to visit the Mission for myself.
When I first came down, I was really scared. Although I am a nurse and was planning on volunteering my professional services, I remembered thinking, “I’m just taking a few blood pressures and I’m getting out of here!”
If you have been to the Mission, you will know what happened next. I was greeted by warm, engaging residents and staff who were grateful that I had visited and appreciative of anything I could do. I had no idea what I was going to do or how I would fit in. I don’t think the staff knew either. But, everyone was open to God’s leading and willing to move forward in faith.
I can not begin to tell you all that has happened since then except to say that the blessings have been so great that I can hardly contain them! I believe this is what you can expect to happen if you choose to get involved at Helping Up Mission:
1. You are in for the adventure of your life!
2. You will think you are bringing hope and healing to others but will discover that you are the one that
is healed in the broken places of your life.
3. You will be swept up by the tide of passion and faith of the people you are called to minister with
and will find yourself at a whole new level in your faith journey.
4. Your spiritual walk will be radically changed as you see God at work in the lives of men and in your
own heart.
5. You will meet God here. When you are at the Mission, you feel incredibly close to God and this
causes you to embrace the Mission and not want to leave.
6. As a result of all these things, you will find yourself hopelessly addicted to Helping Up Mission!
Sincerely,
Dr. Mary Lashley
Helping Up Mission Board Member & Volunteer