“The Best Decision of My Life”
At 6 years old, Duan saw a man get shot as he got off the school bus. He witnessed another murder at the age of 16.
While these events offer graphic insight into the environment where Duan spent his youth – and could easily be blamed for his destructive life choices – he takes full responsibility for his actions.
He experimented with substances to fit in with those around him. He struggled to hold a job. He did what he deemed necessary to survive. Finally he was incarcerated.
“I was following the wrong script… going down the wrong path. But it was a decision I made to live that way,” Duan says. After 15 years behind bars, Duan returned home… got a job… and found himself resuming the same sordid lifestyle. “I felt myself going backward instead of forward,” he says, “and if I didn’t get help, I was going to end up dead or back in prison.”
That’s when he made the best decision of his life.
Duan was familiar with the Mission. He’d seen it as he roamed the downtown streets but never gave it much thought. Now he understood its significance: a place of hope and healing for people who long for a new beginning. He joined our LifeBuilders Residential Recovery Program.
At first Duan had conflicting emotions – he was “nervous, afraid and relieved” all at once. But soon, in our faith-based surroundings unlike anything he’d ever experienced, he welcomed the love and guidance of our Christ-filled staff and counselors and opened his heart to the Lord.
Duan had always believed in God but never took time to go to church or read His Word. “But here you don’t just read the Bible,” he says, “they explain it to you and help you understand what it means. It has opened my eyes to a lot of things about myself, God, and other people, and I’m feeling Him moving in my life now.”
Duan is also learning how to maintain his sobriety… budget his money… and master other important life skills that bolster self-sufficiency. We also helped him secure a job as a downtown block ambassador, where he embraces the opportunity to make a positive impact on his boyhood community. “We pick up trash or cut the grass or trim hedges or pull weeds,” he says.“We help people take care of their homes.” He plans to continue the work he loves, find an apartment and live a sober life.
Today, Duan says, “The Mission changed me. They made me realize my past is my past and doesn’t define my future.” He knows he can set his own path with the decisions he makes – and with God’s help, they’ll continue to be good ones. Your generous support and faithful prayers make new beginnings possible for people like Duan who are struggling with life’s challenges – and they are grateful.
“I am thankful to the Mission because they accepted me, they didn’t judge me and they really care about how I live my life… they really care.”
