Pictured above: Woman holds up mugshot of her taken before she entered her local Rescue Mission.
Faces of Recovery
“I had the best day of my life yesterday. My car battery died and my motorcycle wouldn’t start up because someone sold me bad gas. I had to take the bicycle I built while staying at the Rescue Mission.
On the way to work I rode past this guy lying on the sidewalk. I stopped and told him, “Hey, why don’t you come over to the Rescue Mission? Let us feed you. Let us give you new clothes to wear. You can have a bed to sleep in. Trust me, it’s really great.”
And he looked at me and said, “Y’know man, yeah. I think you’re right. I’m going to head over there today. I’ll see you there later tonight!”
And if my battery hadn’t of died, if my motorcycle hadn’t of failed, I never would have met him. I never would have been able to share this love with him.”
-Account of a man given while I was photographing him.
Working with Rescue Missions throughout North America has allowed me to hear the incredible testimonies of individuals and families recovering from addiction and homelessness. Time after time, I am amazed at the inextinguishable joy emanating from these people. They tell me about their past lives—the mistakes they made and the depths they plunged to. But they also tell me about the miraculous transformation they’ve achieved with the help of their local Rescue Mission.
Operating for well over 100 years, the Rescue Mission network has been a consistent pillar of support for those without any safety-net. Today, services often offered at Rescue Missions include rehabilitation programs, job training, medical care, family counseling, and other forms of assistance aimed at helping individuals achieve long-term stability.
