“I’m so blessed that nobody gave up on me.”
Growing up in the country with nine siblings and a single mom, Alfredo did what he could to help make ends meet. “Before I was even a teenager, I was harvesting crops and working in restaurants.”
Tragedy struck when the family home burned to the ground. The fire took the lives of his younger brother and his aunt, leaving Alfredo heartbroken with grief.
As he got older, Alfredo managed to start his own family and began to build a career… but, still affected by the trauma of his past, he turned to substances to cope with the loss he’d experienced.
Over time, he developed an addiction that negatively impacted his marriage. He and his wife tried working through it, but she passed away from cancer… leaving Alfredo with nothing. “I ended up on the streets,” he shares. “I slept in abandoned cars and houses, just surviving.”
Eventually, Alfredo was exhausted. Thankfully, a friend encouraged him to go to the Rescue Mission.
“I wanted to be here, and I wanted to change.”
As soon as Alfredo walked through our doors, a new chapter began. “At first, I was scared, but I refused to give up,” Alfredo recalls. “The love and compassion the Rescue Mission staff showed me changed my whole outlook.”
Through our life-recovery program, Alfredo achieved lasting sobriety. He also received much-needed medical care, including surgery to treat an excruciating back condition.
Alfredo found stability, healing at our thrift store, and most importantly: faith. “When I was broken, I knew about the Lord… but I never talked to Him like I do now. I pray, and I know He’s listening.”
Thank you for loving neighbors like Alfredo “as you’ve loved yourself.” Your kindness has reminded him that he is not alone and that a better life is possible! “I’m so blessed that nobody gave up on me – especially God – and now my family and friends are proud of what they see.”
Click here to download the Summer 2025 issue of The Mission Bell.
