Rupert was struggling to survive on a cold Christmas Eve. A stranger's act of kindness changed his life forever.
From afar, Rupert seemed to be living a normal life. He had a good job and a reliable place to live. But when he got injured on the job, he began to struggle with drugs.
“I hurt my back sandblasting. I went to a doctor, and he put me on pain pills. My back was hurting one morning before work, but I had just finished my prescription. I started feeling really sick later that day.”
Rupert became dependent on his prescriptions, and he eventually began to take harder drugs to numb his pain. He struggled to hold a job, and his habit became more expensive. Soon, he was living on the streets and panhandling for money.
God changed Rupert’s life forever on a cold Christmas Eve. A pedestrian noticed his foot was swollen, so she offered to drive him to the hospital for treatment. It was there that he agreed to get help from Oliver Gospel.
“I knew if I went back out on the street, I probably wouldn’t have lived another six months.”
Rupert was challenged by the structure of the Mission’s programming at first, but his confidence grew with time. He focused on his recovery classes and took pride in his work therapy assignments.
“I was given a job in the laundry room, and that did more to help me than anything else. It was the first time in a long time that someone believed in me.”
Rupert’s time at Oliver Gospel gave him the rest he needed to get back on his feet. Now, he has found full-time employment and is approaching a year of sobriety.
“You’re going to get out of this what you put into it, and I decided to go all in.”
This winter, YOU can help show neighbors just like Rupert how much you care for them. Your $26.04 donation provides 12 meals and 6 nights of shelter for men, women, and children experiencing homelessness in the Midlands.
Watch Rupert's story here: