“I didn’t want anything to do with God…”
Matthew’s high-risk lifestyle of drug use had caught up with him. He was facing the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence – and he was willing to consider any alternatives available to avoid it. Fortunately, a program through The Mission at Kern County was one of those alternatives.
“My biggest challenge before coming to the Mission was being able to lead a normal life… to be sober and a functioning member of society,” he explains.
Matthew had struggled with addiction since he was 15, when he got involved with the wrong crowd. He dropped out of school and was homeless for a time – sleeping at friends’ houses or wandering the streets. But now that he was facing legal trouble, he realized he had to change… and the Mission may be his last hope. Still, he wasn’t sure about our faith focus. God had never been a part of his life, and the idea of going into a Christian environment made him uncomfortable.
“I didn’t want anything to do with God at first, but the Mission let me move at my own pace. It was very comforting. Then, one day I really prayed for the first time, and it was like a light switch flipped. That’s when everything changed.” “Coming to the Mission is basically where I found hope.”
Today, Matthew is a proud graduate of our recovery program. He is happily married with three daughters. He earned his GED while at the Mission and got his driver’s license. Now, he has a successful career. “My life now is all about family – my wife and kids – work, and serving at church. I play guitar on the worship team.”
Thank you for sharing God’s love with Matthew this Easter. His life has been renewed through the joy and hope of the Gospel! “I’m thankful to the Mission because they gave me the tools I needed to have the most amazing life that I have now.”
Read the full Easter 2024 Newsletter here.