Go Riders! Go Geri!

SUGGESTION:
Pay tribute to Geri the
founder. Picture?
Brief History
She was so Great -
along with God they were Real

PS. I felt this could have
been a Rider dinner --
not so much
emphasis
on them!

We had a note put into the offering basket at our annual Love Your Neighbour Fund Raising Banquet in May. It was a wonderful time, with full sponsorship and great attendance! I'm sad that Miss Mystery did not see how we acknowledged Geri during the event, and in case others feel we are dishonouring her wonderful heritage, I wanted to share a bit of my heart about Geri.

I didn't know Geri very well, but the one thing I knew was that she heard the voice of God, and obeyed. Starting from it's humble beginnings in 1990 with a prayer, a pot of coffee, and a few wooden milk crates for chairs, she established this ministry as the main source of help for the hungry in Regina.

I am honoured to follow in her footsteps, and to take over her leadership since she went to be with the Lord. I often think what a big responsibility it is to fill her shoes. Geri overcame so many personal obstacles in her life and yet gave all she had to Jesus.

I remember each time I would see her in her office, she offered to pray with me. She asked how I was and how the ministry of the Regina RESCUE Mission was doing. Geri truly was a servant and I am thankful our two works have combined to become the Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission. And how wonderful to have her son, Donovan, be a central part of her legacy by serving as our Chief Operating Officer and my partner in leading this Mission.

So, yes, Geri was a very real person. And we continue her legacy by feeding over 100,000 each year at the Geri Carroll Hope Centre. If you are ever interested in helping us give food and hope to the poor, please contact Aaron, our Emergency Services Manager, who served under Geri's leadership.

Love Your Neighbour!

I love finding Souls Harbour RESCUE Mission news on the web. This is a really good article published last summer in Christian Week, written by Lee Harding.

Introducing Drew

Drew is now on our casual labour crew, hoping to begin an internship when his schooling and upgrading is completed next month. His energy and enthusiasm mark his countenance with daily joy. He is always eager to try new things and offer words of encouragement, even to the staff! He is truly a delight to have around.

His graduation address, written by Melanie, and read by me, follows:

Mr. Andrew Carpenter

Drew also grew up in Wynyard, in a loving family with four siblings. He describes his parents as loving and hard-working, putting family above all else. However, at the age of 13, tragedy struck. His older brother was killed, sending the family into shock and grief. Drew says, “In my grief, I took up a life of debauchery, replacing everything I once held dear to the numbness and escape of alcohol and drugs.”

He began to find some healing in his 20's. He was married and had two children. 10 years later, his wife left him and he found himself alone once again. In Drew's words, “This trauma in my life caused me to reunite with my old companions, alcohol and drugs. I abandoned God, Jesus and all that is good. But rather than dwell on my iniquities of the past, instead I'd sooner convey my expressions of all the blessings now in my life.”

Drew joined the LifeChange Program just over a year ago. He was tired of living his life apart from God and so one day he knelt down and surrendered to Christ, begging Him to come to the rescue. That same day, God opened the doors for Drew to come to the Mission.

Drew has worked through his past and his addiction and is living a new life. He has been taking classes through the Department of Community Resources and plans to begin Rescue College later this summer.

Drew, we are looking forward to seeing a lot more of you in the future!

Congratulations, Lois!

Another one of our 2007 graduates, and personal friend of mine, is Lois. Lois worked with me throughout her program, and beyond, utilizing her strong administrative and typing skills in the office. Here is her graduation introduction.

Ms. Lois Hlady

Lois grew up in the small town of Wynyard, Saskatchewan. She actually went to school with one of Andrew's brothers! [Meet Drew later this week.] She came from a loving family but that love could not spare her from some of life's traumas. She married and became pregnant at the age of 20. During this time she became severely depressed. After her daughter was born, she found herself unable to even speak. Eventually medication helped but within a few years she turned, instead, to alcohol to make herself feel better.

The marriage was trouble and eventually they divorced. She and her daughter, Amanda, began to make it on their own. Lois went to university and got several health care certificates. She was able to provide for her family but battled with alcohol and chronic depression through the years.

When she came to the Mission last September, she had been drinking heavily for the last decade, steadily getting deeper and deeper into the pit of addiction. She finally ended up in the psychiatric ward at the General Hospital. At this point, her family contacted us. Lois agreed to join the program and moved in a short time later.

It was amazing to watch Lois change. Within a few weeks, a new person emerged. People didn't even recognize her anymore; she looked so happy and healthy. She found the Lord at the Mission, and He truly transformed her.

Lois is now living back at her home and enjoying mended relationships with her family. She volunteers once a week looking after the women and children, and we are looking forward to seeing where God leads her in the future.

Meet Marvin Mainville

Dear Michelle and Ken,

I feel I need to do this, as I have surpassed my goal of two years - being alcohol free. It's wasn't easy. Once again I must say, the LifeChange Program I've been through, was indeed a life change, especially for me. To all the staff at the Rescue Mission I thank you all.

Briefly, when I came to the Mission, I was evicted from where I called home. I needed a roof over my head, something to eat, and this was where it could be had. Believe me that was my intention, to find a place and move on. As I progressed through the program my thinking became more clear.

I've been through anger management, I got a certificate for that. As I encounter some workers either in a shop or fast food place, they can manage to anger me but I don't show it or retaliate in the way I used to. I think of the situation. By going to church on Sundays I see God in a different perspective.

Enough of me yakking. What I'm giving you [decorative plate of an Indian Chief] is something I hope you respect. Where you put it I wouldn't know. Michelle you must have your own office. Ken I know you have. To share it, you might have to cut it in half.

Sincerely,

Marvin

PS. I do have lots going on: my brother is in Afghanistan, Phalina is overdue on her pregnancy; a C-section needs to be done. I missed church one Sunday, I do have a picture of my sister.

Marvin was reluctant to go to his graduation ceremony this year at the Love Your Neighbour Fund Raising Banquet. He felt torn between grieving his sister and celebrating his new life. During our last crib game, I asked him if it was worth it.

He looked up at me, smiled, and said, "Well, George wouldn't let me off the hook. He kept insisting." In the end he said it was a very special time made even better by the presence of his granddaughter, Phalina, at the head table with him, Steve Bell, and the grads.

Here is the tribute I read for Marvin at his graduation ceremony on May 9th:

Mr. Marvin Mainville

Marvin stands here a changed man. He grew up in an Ontario border town. He started drinking at 13 years old, crossing the border into Minnesota to get alcohol. Prejudice was rampant at that time and he found himself in in frequent fistfights. Things spiraled downhill and he found himself in a United States Prison. His life was not an easy one and alcohol became a way out.

Marvin came to the LifeChange Program at the Mission several times. Each time he would make it a month or two and then head back to his old life. He wanted to change but the addiction was winning.

In March of 2005 he went to Ontario to attend his father's funeral. When he came back he found himself evicted from his place of residence. With no place to go, the Mission crossed his mind once again. He says that his motivation for coming was a roof over his head and food to eat. Then he planned to start looking for a new place to stay.

It didn't take long this time though for his thinking to start changing. He began to focus on his addiction and surrendered to Christ. He learned how to say no when old friends approached him. Marvin successfully completed an anger management course and learned how to be patient.

I asked Marvin, after all these years, what made the difference now, at 64 years old? Marvin said, “It’s because I have Jesus in my life now, Michelle.”

Congratulations, Marvin!

Annual Love Your Neighbour Fund Raising Banquet & Lifechange Graduation Ceremony

I had been waiting and waiting for the pictures from our Love Your Neighbour Fund Raising Banquet and Graduation. As it turns out, someone put it in our safe when I was on vacation and forgot to tell me about it!

Many thanks to Bruce Vasselin of Designer Photgraphic Technologies, our locally reknowned photographer who gives his time and resources to make this event truly memorable.

This annual gala event was a sell-out with over 1000 people in attendance! With over 100 corporate and church sponsorships, and donations that evening, we raised over $88,000! But the highlight was seeing those 9 graduates and their children walk the stage. Men and women who have climbed out of the gutter, and are now productive members of society. Even our speaker, Juno award winning Steve Bell, said he'd never experienced such an excited and anticipative crowd at a banquet before.

Ladies and gentlemen, I now present the graduating class of 2007!