Tim Lang and Hunter, a former graduate from The Harbor, stop by to check out some running gear for one of their half-marathons.
You wouldn’t know it now, but Tim spent his teenage years in a haze of drug and alcohol addiction. By the grace of God, Tim eventually found the help he needed around the age of 20. “I went through some pretty difficult times at that point in my life,” he said. “But once I finally gave in to God and went through recovery when I was young, my life totally changed. I’ve since had so many opportunities and blessings.”
One of those great blessings in Tim’s life has been his company that he owns and operates in Team Lang Promotions. And yet, regardless of how much success he’s been able to have in his career, Tim knew early on there was something else that was missing. That’s why he dove in headfirst at the Mission.
From heading up an interview class for men at The Harbor, to serving as a running coach for Up and Running Again, to staying with the holiday spirit and embroidering the names of each of the men at The Harbor on their own personal stocking, Tim has been involved with nearly everything at the Mission. He has even employed some of the residents himself and served as a mentor.
“It’s done more in my life that I could possibly give back,” Tim explained. “The Mission has filled this huge void in my life, and everything that I do now feels better, smells better, tastes better and looks better. … I get back ten-fold what I give at anything in this place.”
It’s also changed his perspective—especially around the holiday season.
“In most cases, the lives of the men and women I’ve worked with were broken from the beginning,” he said. “Oftentimes, they’ve come from very bad home situations where abuse took place growing up. And yet, they know what the holidays are supposed to be about, and what a sense of family and closeness should look like. Unfortunately, a lot of them never got to experience those feelings.”
Tim continued, “Then there is this sense of guilt that can come into play, because not only have they never experienced the holiday the way it’s supposed to be experienced, but their children never really have either because they weren’t available … They want to be happy and joyful, but they carry that damage with them from the past. It’s a difficult time.”
But it doesn’t have to be.
Which is why we launched Project Christmas Care.
Every gift of $40 or more will allow us to buy a meaningful gift for one man, woman and child in our New Life Ministries at The Harbor and Shepherd’s Door and/or a man and woman in the Connect program. We’ll wrap those presents and put them under the Christmas tree at each one of our facilities. Your gift will make new, much happier and more joyful memories this holiday season.
If you want to take one step today, donate today to Project Christmas Care. Together, as with Tim, you can help change that narrative of Christmas TODAY. You can make a difference in someone’s life forever.
Homelessness hurts. Because of their painful past, most of the people we serve haven’t had a joyful Christmas in a long, long time. The holidays only deepen their sense of loss and isolation. “There were lots of years where I didn’t really have Christmas at all,” says Doug, one of the men who sought help in our New Life Ministry for men.
You can give friendship and joy to a child, woman or man this Christmas. Your gift of $40 provides meaningful gifts they’ll open on Christmas morning, helping them feel loved and remembered. Help us reach our goal of providing presents for 160 people in all of our recovery programs.
Give joy this Christmas: PortlandRescueMission.org/ChristmasCare