 I
have such a privilege to help the homeless and poor
right here at CityTeam Portland. I see the men that
come through our doors that are seeking help and want
to change their lives. But that change happen over time.
Often, I forget what they truly looked like when they
first came into the recovery program until I start looking
at old photos. Then, I marvel to see what a new person
that man has become. It is a wonderful experience to
see this wonderful change take place. One, in which
I think I will never grow tired of seeing.
Yet there is even more changes that take place that
I do not often get to see, and they are just as moving
as the first. One of those changes is one of visiting
with the family of a man that has been changed. When
one of our guys walk through the doors I do not see
the family they leave behind while they get counseling,
and get clean and sober. Yet these families, whether
it is the immediate family or extended are going through
their own pain. Often they have lost hope, and feel
very discouraged over the situation their loved ones
are in. They desire to help so much, yet have to be
so cautious due to the nature of addiction.
Recently, I had the privilege of getting a glimpse
into a parent’s life of one of our guys. This
wonderful man gave us (staff) a special gift for Christmas.
We were eager to tell him what a blessing his son
has been to the mission and what a wonderful man he
is. Then his father told us what life was like last
Christmas. He was fearful for his son life and very
discouraged that he would ever change. As he gave
us a glimpse into what life used to be like I could
see his eyes moisten. His gift was his way of saying
thanks for giving my son back. My heart once again
was stirred because I saw the pain a parent faces
when their child is under the vise grips of addiction.
I also saw the joy they have when they are walking
on the right path. CityTeam’s recovery program
often is involved in rebuilding lives and families
– this was a special one to see happen this
last Christmas.
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