Nearly 100 people ate at our Thanksgiving tables this year thanks to your generous donations of funds and homemade pies. Thank you so much for your generous support of our mission--we couldn't do what we do without YOU!
Did you know we honor the guests who complete our life-recovery program with a graduation ceremony? Since it takes about 18 months to finish the program, we think they deserve a collective celebration!
For many of these men and women, this could be their first graduation from anywhere, so we work hard to make it an unforgettable occasion. For example, our graduates wear traditional caps and gowns. And, according to the feedback we receive, the most meaningful part of the event is the powerful sharing of personal transformation stories.
Since birth, Kurt has struggled with degenerative vision problems. Determined to support himself, he was able to overcome his disability for quite some time – into his mid-30s. But when his eyesight got so bad he was unable to hold down a job or read his favorite books, he found himself depressed and unable to afford groceries or rent.
His mental health was further challenged when an astonishing number of close family members passed away during a short span of time. He endured so much loss. “My relationship with God was up and down. But at that point, I was just angry with Him.”
One of Kurt’s nieces had generously taken him in, but her circumstances were changing, and she couldn’t continue housing him. Thankfully, she learned about the Christian Aid Center and suggested he contact us.
The day he walked into the CAC, things got better for Kurt.
“The staff and volunteers here have been key to my spiritual growth,” he says. “The classes are so helpful, and they’re all Christ-centered, so I was able to learn more about God while re-finding my place in the world.”
Through our Rebuilders Program, Kurt has regained his footing. Even with his challenges, the CAC has connected him with resources so that he could get back to being an avid reader. A close-knit community has given him hope and shed light on his purpose: helping others and giving back by becoming one of our Resident Volunteers.
“Everybody knows they can always come to me. It makes me feel good – doing the Lord’s work. It’s not me! It’s Him.”
Kurt has been reconnecting with family members who are happily following his progress. “A big thing I’ve learned is that God is patient – With all of us.”
Kurt’s heart is overflowing with gratitude because YOUR loving support gave him the confidence to rebuild his life. “The CAC does amazing work with its guests as well as through outreach to our neighbors. I’m so grateful I found this place!”
Everything changed when Elizabeth looked up from her hospital bed to see the tear-stained faces of her two young children. The look in their eyes as they saw how badly their mother had been beaten gave her the courage to leave an abusive relationship and stop drinking.
Her alcohol abuse began years before, when her first relationship ended and her ex took custody of her kids. “I was pretty torn up because I had two older children and he took them — wouldn’t let me see them. I turned to alcohol to numb that feeling.”
When she heard about the Christian Aid Center, she knew it was where she should go. “We left everything. We only had a bag of clothes — no money, no ID.” She enrolled in Healing Home, an 18-month life-change program for women who want to stop the cycle of addiction, trauma and broken relationships.
Here, through your gifts, they were blessed with the essentials of safe shelter, nutritious meals and everything they needed to feel comfortable and at home. Elizabeth learned about God’s healing grace and surrendered her life to Him. “We had Bible studies every day, so I learned how to be honest with other people and myself. The Lord has given me an open mind and heart.”
“I came from a very black place,” Elizabeth shares.
In addition to her spiritual growth, Elizabeth also gained practical skills while working in the Center’s kitchen. Today, she is happily working with the Walla Walla public schools in their cafeterias, and she lives with her two kids in a place of her own. “All my aunties worked in restaurants, so it was something I’ve always wanted but never pursued. It’s like a dream come true!”
This Christmas, as Elizabeth and her children celebrate Christ’s birth, she’ll also celebrate the joyous new life she found inside our doors because of your kind compassion. “Before I came to the Center, I was lost. Now I am at peace. It’s given me purpose and my life back.”
