“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you!” (1 Peter 1:3-4)
The complexities of life have just seemed to grow beyond comprehension. There are many times even in my own personal life, that all the things we are facing as a family, just seem to become overwhelming. Prior to covid, our family was very rarely sick, and now sickness seems to be a common routine for all of us. And as sickness always does, it never comes at a good time.
I think we can all relate now, more than ever before, that life for all of us is extremely complex. The pressure of it all, can bring on massive waves of hopelessness.
Recently at a River of Life Mission hub, the team leading the hub met a gentle man in his sixties, whom we’ll call Bill, one of our beloved kupuna. After receiving a distressing health report, he felt weighed down by his circumstances and turned to heavy alcohol use, ultimately spending over three years on the streets.
Through consistent outreach, the team developed a deep relationship with Bill, praying with him and helping him re-dedicate his life to Jesus. They also assisted him in entering a seven-day detox program at the Salvation Army.
After detox, the hub team successfully admitted him to Po’ailani, a continued treatment home. Over the past couple of months, he has made incredible progress and now attends a church across the street on Sundays. He has formed strong bonds with the staff at Po’ailani and engages in meaningful discussions about his faith with team members. The hub leader and their team consistently check in on him, praising God for the opportunity to walk alongside Bill on his road to redemption.
The team will continue to monitor the program’s completion and work to secure a long-term housing solution, ensuring that this miracle story has a glorious ending.
This narrative is full of hope and illustrates the power of relationships fostered through a simple hub model that combines meals with ministry. It highlights the essential steps individuals need to take to get their lives back on track, relying on a compassionate group of people willing to support them through each stage of recovery.
This is a story of someone on the “road to redemption” and the people who have guided him along the way. While we’ve shared the miraculous growth of our hubs at River of Life Mission, we are also developing a broadly resourced yet straightforward roadmap to help individuals transition off the streets.
Stay tuned to River of Life Mission over the next few months as we introduce our newest model, “The Road to Redemption.” This tool will be available to anyone seeking to help individuals transition off the streets.
We give all praise to God for this incredible transformation experienced by one of our dear friends, and we are deeply grateful to the humble team at the hub that supported him along the way. We remain thankful for all that God is doing to unite people, churches, organizations, donors, and compassionate individuals to change lives for the better. Together, we truly are stronger!
Aloha and Mahalo!
Pastor Paul Gates, Executive Director & Rann Watumull, Board Chair