We rejoice with those who rejoice, and we weep with those who weep.

Dear Friend of the Mission,

We care deeply about the 50 broken and hurting homeless men living at the Mission at any given time.  We celebrate with them their achievements, their birthdays and their successes.  Just the other day one of our residents who is working for a retail store came and told me that he has been promoted to train new employees since he does his job so well.  In our dining room, a banner wishing one of our residents, John, a happy birthday is prominently posted so that we can celebrate John’s birthday and life.  Another one of our residents whose name is also John just graduated from school to be a certified nursing assistant.  His first interview for a job in his field went extremely well, and he told me that they have already scheduled him for a second interview.  These celebrations are our celebrations – we truly do rejoice with those who rejoice.  Please read the post in the Real Stories section entitled “Heading in a New Direction ~ Ira’s Story” to celebrate with Ira Dean, one of our staff members and New Life Program graduates, all that God is doing in his life.

But we also weep with those who weep.  A number of our residents get word while they are living at the Mission that their mother, father, brother, sister, wife or child has died.  Our heart goes out to our men when they lose a loved one.  We always try to send one of our staff to the funeral to show our love and support.  Some of our residents are diagnosed with a serious health problem while they are living at the Mission.  Right now we have a man hospitalized with what appears to be congestive heart failure.  We’ve had men

diagnosed with cancer, undergo open heart surgery, knock on death’s door with pneumonia, break bones and struggle with both chronic and acute health problems while living at the Mission.  We pray for them and seek to support them in their time of trouble.  As much as possible, we help them get well.

Thank you in advance for your kind and generous gift.  You will be investing in the lives of homeless men, and you also will be standing with our men as they rejoice and as they weep.

Working together with you,

Robert A. Emberger, D.Min.
Executive Director