Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Video: An introduction to LifeChange

This video is an introduction to the LifeChange addiction recovery community. If you or someone you love is seeking recovery and is interested in LifeChange, please take a look:

Thursday, March 26, 2009

LifeChange Graduate: Carl Parsons

Graduate Profile: Carl Parsons

“In LifeChange, I really discovered who I was intended to be…it was about uncovering God’s plan.”

Carl Parsons is looking back at four years of hard work, joy, fellowship, depression and everything in between. Ready to graduate from Union Gospel Mission’s LifeChange addiction recovery program this March, a future he might not have imagined four years ago in March 2005 as he stood in line for a sack lunch from the Mission. (Carl, pictured at right, the day he stood in line for a sack lunch and joined LifeChange)

“I was at the end of the line, I was out of money, had burned all my bridges and had no more money stay in this hotel on Sandy Boulevard where I had been living. I knew about Missions, so I came downtown looking for help. I saw about 250 people in line for a sack lunch. I came to the door, and I asked about help, and was told to come back later to apply for LifeChange,” Carl recalls.

Carl’s road to the sack lunch line at the Mission in 2005 was filled with battles with alcohol and painkillers and a life of struggle to find his way.

Carl was born and raised in New Hampshire by a single mom. His mom was a nurse working long hours, so Carl’s grandparents stepped in and help raise Carl and they were a major influence in his life.

“When I was 12, my grandma died. She was the matriarch, she held things together. When she died it was hard on my Grandpa, and things fell apart. I moved out of my home at age 12 and stayed with cousins and friends and struggled my way through High School and graduated in 1991.”

Carl then enlisted in the Marines, but because of a bad car accident Carl was discharged and unable to serve.

“Serving in the Marines had become something to hang on to, an identity, somewhere to belong. Things went downhill, I started drinking heavily and taking painkillers and then I got involved in criminal activity.”

Facing criminal charges, Carl fled New Hampshire for New York. He was doing day labor, living in some bad places and drinking heavily. Things appeared to turn around for Carl when he became involved at St. Paul’s House a Christian organization, where Carl worked for several years.

Carl was estranged from his family, but received a call from his mom that his stepfather was ill. Carl decided to go back to New Hampshire and face his legal issues.

He was able to get a job, a car, an apartment and he and a girlfriend were expecting a baby. After their daughter Saydi was born, Carl’s girlfriend left, and Carl was a single father for several years, until Saydi’s mom came back into her daughter’s life. At this time Carl was going back to a life of drinking, and late nights. Carl’s parents confronted him, which lead to a huge blow up.

“I flipped out. I left and stayed with friends, and I bottomed out, I burned all these bridges. I had a friend who lived in Portland and he encouraged me to come here. When I arrived I realized he was in worse shape than I was, he had a serious drug problem.”

Within a few months of arriving in Portland, Carl was in LifeChange. His experience in LifeChange was filled opportunities to grow and many hard challenges.

“I had a love/hate relationship with LifeChange at times. LifeChange was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it was the most rewarding.”

Today, Carl is attending community college and seeking an Associates degree in business.

For the future Carl plans to marry, hopefully have a job in a ministry that impacts people’s lives, and live a simple life. Carl is working to build a relationship with his daughter Saydi.

“LifeChange changed my values. I used to look at temporary material things, now I see the eternal and the value of working for God’s Kingdom.” (Carl today, pictured at left)
Make a secure online donation at:
https://www.ugmportland.org/secure/donate.cfm


Read more LifeChange graduate stories at:
http://www.ugmportland.org/lifechange.html

Friday, March 20, 2009

LifeChange graduate profile: Steve

LifeChange graduation is coming up on March 29. Two great guys are graduating, Carl and Steve.

Here is Steve's story:

“I just hoped I’d pass out and never wake up,” Steve said of some very dark days in February and March of 2005. Steve was drinking heavily every day, barely eating anything and moving from one cheap motel to another in Southeast Portland. Severely depressed after his “functional” alcoholism had transformed into all day drinking, and a loss of his marriage and a good job he walked away from.

Steve had always been a hard worker. He worked in the grocery business since he was a teen, and had worked as a delivery truck driver. His work ethic came from his parents who adopted Steve as an infant. Steve grew up in Beaverton and had a normal childhood. He recalled his Grandmother making him practice the organ after school, and working for his Dad’s toy distributorship. Steve recalls starting drinking in High School at about age 15, just to “be cool, fit in” and was sneaking alcohol from his parents.

“My mom would pick me up from school and take me to go work, I think to try to keep me out of trouble,” Steve says.

He married young and he and his wife had three sons before they divorced. Steve married again and he and his second wife had two boys. Steve traces his downward spiral to getting laid-off in 2002. He found himself living on unemployment and starting his drinking first thing in the morning.

By Christmas 2003, his entire family had become alarmed at Steve’s drinking. His mother, stepfather, sisters, wife and in-laws confronted Steve in an intervention, demanding that he not only to get serious about recovery, but to seek medical help because he looked so thin and unhealthy.

“When they confronted me like that I was so angry, I was furious. I rejected what they were saying, and my wife moved out and took the boys, took money, and I was basically left with nothing. I was angry about it at the time, but looking back I know they were desperate. When I see pictures from back then, I did look terrible,” Steve recalls. (see picture at right)

After that confrontation Steve made several half-hearted attempts at recovery to appease his family, and to remain in diversion from a DUI charge. He managed to find sober housing and a good job as a receiving clerk, but his divorce and a confrontation with another resident caused Steve to walk away from his job and start his drinking binge and motel hopping.

Even in the darkest days in motels, Steve was drawn to look at the Bibles in the nightstands.

“I didn’t really understand the Bible, but I was drawn to it. I feel like God intervened.”

Steve called his sister Jodi, who had been receiving the LifeChange newsletter. Jodi helped direct Steve to LifeChange.

As he started recovery in LifeChange Steve recalls being scared, and watching others, and worked on being obedient. He found that he was transforming spiritually.

LifeChange had its struggles, Steve recalls, “the kitchen job assignment was hard for me, sometimes it was hard to get along with others. I did enjoy working at the thrift store.”

Looking back after four years, Steve says, “Being in LifeChange deepened my relationship with God, helped me understand the bible. I’m able to build healthy relationships, I’ve learned humility, and I’m a better dad.”

Looking forward, Steve plans to spend time with his two younger boys and to build relationships with his adult sons. He is attending truck driving school. He hopes one day to be married again, but is in no hurry to be in a relationship. He is enjoying getting involved at New Song church in Portland.

“I’m never going to be the guy giving a sermon from the pulpit, but I can minister to people. One on one I just tell them my story, what God has done for me.” (Steve today, pictured at left)
Make a secure online donation at:
Read more LifeChange graduate stories at:

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Time flies at Union Gospel Mission

It is hard to believe it's already March. Here at Union Gospel Mission, the action has been non-stop as residents of LifeChange provided "above and beyond" emergency shelter over the winter.

Now we are looking ahead to a few important events: The graduation of two LifeChange members on March 29, a wonderful Easter brunch on April 12 and our annual fundraising banquet on April 25.

To find out more visit www.ugmportland.org