Last month’s 60th Anniversary Banquet was unforgettable, largely because of the powerful stories of our five speakers. These brief summaries reveal a common theme: God is working through you.
Jake Sexton, Case Manager for the Changed Life Recovery Program (CLRP)
Jake enrolled in the CLRP on the first anniversary of his brother Mike’s fatal overdose. Mike was 23, Jake was 22, and the brothers were close. Jake felt broken, scared, and alone. He was so enveloped in his pain and his shame that he was ready to die.
He learned that the CLRP was a year-long program in which he would have to confront his needs and take time to heal. When Jake enrolled, he found it a safe place to grow and mature; people loved him the way God does. In his third month in the program, he surrendered his life to Jesus.
When Jake graduated from the CLRP a year later, he became an intern for another year. CLRP Director Carlton Hill recognized Jake’s leadership potential and offered him the position of Case Manager.
“God saw my misery and turned it into ministry. No man could do that. The Mission fed me, clothed me, and gave me a place to lay my head and grow to become the man God created me to be. Mission family and donors, you’ve been a part of it all, whether you know it or not.”
Brenda Bell, Support Coach
Brenda works in Faith House and Rescued Treasures, our clothing ministry. She has also been helping homeless people in Frederick since 1981. About a year ago, she met a homeless man named Mark in Rescued Treasures. He had lost his job and had little, and the two became friends.
After a recent storm, Mark came to the Mission completely distraught because he had lost [JS1] everything. He told Brenda, “My sleeping bag, my tent, and all my clothes got washed down the river.” Brenda got him a new sleeping bag, tent, and clothing and prayed for him. Brenda is now trying to coordinate a landscaping job for him. Thanks to your generosity, Mark learned that he can come to the Mission whenever he has a need.
Teri Kwiatek, Outreach Coordinator
Ella is a nursing student at Frederick Community College. She is a single mother with three children, and her youngest has special needs that require extensive medical attention. The Mission provides groceries that allow her to keep food on the table and hot lunches, where she enjoys meals with her kids.
Everyone who comes to the Mission has a story, and some, like Ella, are just trying to survive until the next paycheck. Teri gets to tell them that God works in our lives and in all situations. “It’s not only about the food and the services; it’s about introducing them to God, who absolutely loves them.” Thanks to you, we can give hope to people who come through our doors.
Ashley Garland, Faith House Director
When Julie entered Faith House, the staff and volunteers helped her open a bank account, pay off debt, save money, purchase a vehicle, find a sponsor, and attend recovery meetings. However, her primary goal was to regain custody of her youngest daughter, Lily.
Ashley watched as Julie struggled to learn how to balance life, work, recovery, and the role of being a single parent. Julie started attending parenting classes. When she brought her daughters to church, they loved worshipping Jesus.
After countless prayers and several court proceedings, Julie triumphed and regained full custody of her youngest daughter, Lily. She also received a childcare scholarship that allowed her to enroll Lily in daycare during the workday.
In March, Julie and her daughters transitioned into the Faith House Transitional Living program, where they now occupy their own apartment. Julie has now been clean for a year and a half. How delightful that we can be a part of these life-changing journeys, both now and for eternity.
Tony Peterson, Pastor of Frederick Church of Christ
Pastor Tony Peterson grew up in a fatherless home and had his first alcoholic beverage at a restaurant celebrating his seventh birthday. By adulthood, he was an addict and learned to manipulate people for his needs and avoid close relationships. He got married, but his marriage fell apart. Tony’s addiction controlled him for 14 years, during which he experienced homelessness, crime, jail, his own? death from overdoses, and watching people around him die from overdose.
Tony finally realized that his lifestyle was destroying the lives of the people who cared about him the most. His pastor suggested the Frederick Rescue Mission. Tony entered the CLRP in January 2019 and graduated a year later.
Since then, Tony has reconciled with his wife and had two children. He earned a psychology degree and a second seminary degree in Biblical Studies and Pastoral Ministry. He is finishing a graduate degree in Apologetics and Systematic Theology and serves as the Lead Pastor at Frederick Church of Christ. Over the past few years, he joined several friends to start the Living Water Showers Ministry, providing mobile, hot showers to homeless people throughout Frederick.
“God has done for me abundantly more than I could have hoped or imagined. The Mission taught me how to walk in freedom continually. That means to stay connected. I stay connected to God, my family, my church, and the community that God used to transform my life—that’s all of you and those who have been a part of the Mission for the last six decades. You gave your money, time, talents, and resources so my family and I could live free.”
