“The supporters and the staff at the Mission really make the residents feel loved and special while they are away from their families at Christmas. Last year the greatest blessing for me was to see the new residents opening their presents and the fellowship time they spent together.” – Don Kauffman
The excitement is palpable when the men of the Changed Life Recovery Program (CLRP) gather on Christmas morning. After an opening prayer, and before they open presents, each one reflects on where they are this Christmas compared to previous ones. Last year’s comments included:
“I can’t remember the last time I had a sober Christmas,” and “Last year at this time, I was in jail.”
One man expressed, “God does do miracles; there is no other explanation for my being here.”
Some guys feel at home at the Mission, while others would rather be with their families on Christmas morning—but they all feel a sense of hope for the future.
The residents empty their stockings, filled with goodies from staff and volunteers. They are frequently overwhelmed when they open the presents provided by partners like you. For some, the emotion is amplified by the knowledge that their children are also opening presents provided by Mission supporters. Case Manager Jake Sexton described the diverse reactions of the men:
“Some guys are deeply grateful. Others struggle with guilt and feel unworthy.”
The truth is that none of us are worthy of the Christmas gift God provided in Jesus Christ.
“Last Christmas, my daughter and I were blessed by the generosity of supporters of the Frederick Rescue Mission. God’s love shined through the folks that blessed my daughter and I last Christmas and words cannot express our appreciation.” – Ron Davies
A few blocks away at Faith House, moms and children open presents in a big, energetic gathering. The brightly lit tree is surrounded by excited children and presents donated by wonderful people like you.
“We moved in right before Christmas time, and I remember as a mom feeling very out of control at that point, because this is the first time I wasn’t able to present my children with the little traditions, things I used to define how we were as a family…It was beautiful because (supporters) provided so well for my children that they said, ‘This is the best Christmas ever!’”
– Maggie On Christmas morning, the Mission’s residents can forget that they are recovering from the hardest seasons of their lives. They are surrounded by people who love them and cared for by people like you. If you would like to provide presents for CLRP and/or Faith House residents, please contact Carolyn Chander: cchandler@therescuemission.org
