Christian shares how God used your support to transform his life…
Christian was born in Nigeria, where he witnessed extreme violence at a very young age. “I didn’t know how to navigate or deal with the trauma,” he recalls. When he was only 8 years old, his mother died, and Christian moved to America with his father and sister.
At 18, Christian lost his father, too. “I dropped out of college the same day and became my sister’s legal guardian.” He married and had four children, but the deep pain of his losses and the unresolved trauma of his childhood weighed heavily on him. Desperate to escape the pain, he turned to drugs.
Addiction took hold, and Christian found himself in a cycle of incarceration and homelessness. “My addictions led me to not only lose my family, but into darker areas… I started getting in trouble and eventually was in and out of prison.” “I’ll never forget the feeling of being loved and welcomed as soon as I walked through the door here.”
After his final release from prison, Christian was desperate for direction and a chance to start over, and a UGM staff member approached him on the street and invited him to the Union Gospel Mission. “He looked at me, waved me over and said, ‘You don’t belong out here on these streets.’ That was a pivotal moment for me.”
At the Mission, Christian found shelter, care, and the life-changing gift of God’s love. “For the very first time, I felt like I understood the Gospel.” Through Bible classes, counseling, and the support of the staff here, the Lord revealed himself to Christian and gave him saving faith in Him.
In November 2024, Christian was hired as the Mission’s Executive Chef and he is excelling in his position. He is also a baptized member of his church. “I’m thankful for the Mission because it exposed me to the Gospel… they wrapped their arms around me, showing me love regardless of my background.”
The Gospel is bearing fruit at the Mission in the lives of people like Christian. Now, his heart is full of hope thanks to God’s kindness. Thank you for supporting the work we do so that men can be rescued and redeemed! “Before coming to the Mission, I was blind and trapped in my sins and addiction. Now, I’m set free. I have faith and hope, knowing that I am in Christ.”
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