“I thought I was just a filthy sinner.”
Niko remembers when his happy childhood took a sad turn, just as he entered high school. In the wake of his parents’ divorce, he’d thrown himself into sports, hoping to become a professional athlete. When he was excluded from the baseball team due to budget cuts, Niko was devastated. “My dream of going pro was my identity. Christ wasn’t yet a part of my life, so I felt directionless,” he shares.
Longing to fit in with his peers, Niko was persuaded to try drugs. By the time he was a young adult, he’d fallen into the grips of addiction. “Drugs wanted all of my attention,” he recalls.
During a particularly tough year, Niko experienced the passing of several close loved ones – four of them in one month. Still struggling with substance abuse as he grieved, Niko spiraled… he lost his car, his job and his housing.
One rainy night, Niko found himself under layers of cardboard as he tried to sleep inside a dumpster enclosure. That was the moment he realized he needed to leave his old life behind. “That’s when I began to say yes to Jesus,” he smiles.
“I became a new creation.”
Niko’s brother led him to the Mission where he felt welcomed without judgment for the first time. Hard work in our men’s program paid off – not only did Niko attain lasting sobriety, but he also developed a profound understanding of God’s love. “I thought I was just a filthy sinner. Now, I realize God sees me as a son… and even a friend.”
Over a decade later, Niko continues to serve the Mission and the community as a mentor, counselor and case manager – all fueled by the desire to reach the hearts of men struggling as he once did. Now happily married, Niko thinks of the Mission as extended family.
This fall, Niko gives thanks for YOU and your incredible generosity. Your prayers and support have helped change his life. “The Mission taught me to follow the Lord’s will for my life and I’m so grateful for that wisdom!”
Read the full Fall 2024 Newsletter here.