Collateral Damage!

Victor woke up yesterday morning and began to think. In a bit of despair he asked himself, “How did I ever get to this place?”

Thirty-something, Victor’s a bright, energetic guy with a family. But drugs changed his thinking and actions, strained his relationships and disrupted his career. Now his son is following in dad’s foot-steps and it’s heartbreaking for Vic.

So yesterday morning he woke up here at Helping Up Mission and just tried to sort it all out. His out-of-control lifestyle on the streets led him to our 12-month residential Spiritual Recovery Program.

Victor’s been here and clean almost 2 months and is starting to think clearly again. He’s also beginning to experience emotions from which he’s been numbing himself for years.

While it feels pretty good to be clean and responsible again, facing the collateral damage of his past isn’t pretty. But, Vic does believe this is the right way for him to go.

He’s reestablished a relationship with his parents again. He’s having some hard talks with his son – as the father who abdicated his responsibilities quite a few years ago!

But he’s also doing the hard work of real spiritual recovery – which includes a good bit of self-discovery – and it is working! Vic’s also finally going after his own high school diploma here in our Learning Center.

He’s learning to live Honest, Open and Willing (HOW) before God one day at a time. He’s also learning how to do the same with appropriate others in his life, too!

Victor knows this is the only way he’s ever going to be able to pick up the pieces of all that collateral damage and begin to put some things back together. There’s a lot riding on his choices and Victor understands.

It does and will work…

…One Day at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director