John grew up in a world of addiction and violence. “My father was an alcoholic who abused my mom and held a shotgun to my head,” he says. He longed for a father who would love, protect and guide him, so when he was 13, he began numbing the pain of his wounded heart with drugs. “They were a way to escape all that had happened to me.” Over the next 24 years, John’s drug use escalated, costing him jobs, relationships and the custody of his children. “I used to write down a description of the kind of father I wanted to be, but I couldn’t be that man without help,” he says. “I needed structured living and Accountability.”
Then John gave his life to Christ and felt led to seek help at our Parker House Aftercare Program. Through our Bible studies, chapel services and Christian counseling, he’s grown strong in the Lord and experienced God’s unconditional love for the first time in his life. “He’s a good Father,” John says. “God gives me grace and shows me that it’s okay to mess up.” John has also developed healthy coping skills and learned to be the kind of father he’s always wanted to be. “I’m steady and caring. I get to see my kids now and they know I’m a good dad,” he says. “The cycle has been broken.” He plans to graduate from the program, get a place of his own where his kids can stay, and become a drug and alcohol counselor, with hopes of working here one day. “I want to give back to this wonderful place,” he says.This Christmas, because of your compassion and God’s love, John’s story has a new beginning. Through the gift of Christ’s birth, his future is filled with joy and meaning.“The Mission saves lives, families and children’s futures. That’s a priceless gift. It’s an endless inheritance.”
