Our women’s New Life Recovery program has some very exciting news – we have partnered with Cedar Mill Bible Church in west Portland to provide transitional housing to moms and their children.
Transitional Housing for Mothers with Children
Housing is a big need for women with children. Once our moms finish our New Life program they often struggle to find a place to live. Now, with our partnership with Cedar Mill Bible Church, we can provide transitional housing for mothers and their children, giving them the support they need to be successful. For women with children who are employed and graduated from our New Life program, this Community House is the final rung on the ladder in their journey.
Our first mom, Jade, and her kids moved into the new home June 22nd! It was a great day of celebration. Mission Barb-B-Que set up a beautiful catered lunch while members of Cedar Mill Bible church and Portland Rescue Mission staff, volunteers, and donors blended together to celebrate these women’s new step forward in life.
A Beautiful Partnership
The house has a large yard for the kids to play and run. The house is provided by Cedar Mill Bible as part of a partnership with Portland Rescue Mission to serve our Community Program participants. Cedar Mill Bible Church is built around missions and mercy. They provide homes that serve pregnant mothers, missionaries and refugees.
The church purchased furniture for the home and some of the men in our program came and put it together. Donors have filled in the gaps with patio furniture, BBQs and more. During the dedication, Portland Rescue Mission friends brought pans, cookbooks, and other items that will bring a homey feeling to the house.
God’s Full Circle of Grace
Between about age one and thirteen, Jade’s babysitter, a woman who saw the painful difficulties in her life, invested in Jade, loving her unconditionally and often taking her to church, Cedar Mill Bible. As Jade grew into an adult her attempts to cover her deep pain and struggle ended in homelessness and despair, shame isolating her from those who cared. Shepherd’s Door was life-changing for Jade, turning her life from hurt and loneliness to community and relationship.
When Jade was offered a place at the new Community House located on Cedar Mill Bible Church property, she immediately knew that she wanted to reach out to her childhood babysitter and reconnect. Connecting back with the woman who meant so much in her life was a beautiful moment of God’s orchestrating grace – it turns out the woman’s husband was a decision maker in partnering with Portland Rescue Mission on the Community House – a decision made not knowing Jade would be one of the mothers to benefit from this sanctuary.
Stephanie’s Story
Our next mom, Stephanie will be moving in soon. Stephanie thought, as she walked into Shepherd’s Door, that she had won the lottery. Born in Canada, she lost her mother at a young age. Her father, a pastor, remarried and the pain, betrayal and loss Stephanie felt became rebellion. Her history of running away, starting at age 13, became a pattern.
Ongoing trauma led her to treat her PTSD with drugs and alcohol. She lost everything – her home, her children, her dignity.
“I felt hopeless and alone. I no longer wanted a part of the secrets keeping me slave to sin.
Since doing this program at Shepherd’s Door I have found real relationships. I have seen God replace my addictions to alcohol and drugs, my loneliness which was codependency, with love. His love. I can forgive myself because of His grace and by His mercy I have repented and have been made into a new creation.”
Reunified with her children and her father, Stephanie now has real relationships and a deep appreciation for the people who invested in her life. She says, “Now I live with purpose and with more blessings that I can count.”
You Make This Possible
Because of Portland Rescue Mission friends and partnerships with churches like Cedar Mill Bible we are able to provide a bright future of hope for vulnerable moms and their children.
Thank You.
Want to partner with Portland Rescue Mission and be a part of transforming lives? Contact us for opportunities to help transform lives.