Faith Action
IN
801 Benham Avenue, Elkhart, IN 46516 • (574) 293-3406 • theFaithMission.org
Thanksgiving 2016 Newsletter
My dad abused me.
He dropped me on
my head…he
chained me in the
basement. I learned to
cope…but I couldn’t
hide from the sickness
inside me.
Read more about Patrick’s
amazing restoration…
Tha
nk y
o
of p
eop u for sa
le lik
v
e P ing the
atri
lives
ck!
~RS
MESSAGE FROM
THE DIRECTOR
Patrick’s amazing restoration… continued
“I thank God for leading me to
the Mission.”
“The Mission saved my life!”
“If it weren’t for the Mission,
I’d be dead.”
We praise God every day for
bringing men and women to our
door to begin new lives: Lives
without addiction. Lives free of
poverty and abuse. Lives now filled
with grace.
More often than not, these
transformations start with a simple
meal, just like the 17,300 being
served in the weeks leading up to
Thanksgiving.
We also praise God for you.
This ministry – the meals, the
shelter and the life-saving programs
– is only possible with your support.
We praise you for fulfilling
Christ’s command to feed, shelter
and care for brothers and sisters in
need. And, we share with you His
promise: “Truly I tell you, whatever
you did for one of the least of
these, you did for me.”
Ross Swihart
Executive Director
“The Mission
never stopped
caring for me...
Never turned
me away!”
W
hen Patrick “misbehaved,” instead of love and understanding,
there was only abuse. “My dad told me I wouldn’t amount to
anything, so I kept trying to prove him wrong.”
Despite his rough childhood, Patrick was the first in his family to
graduate from high school. He married, had a son and a successful career
driving trucks. But that all ended when he came close to death in a
tragic accident.
After the accident, Patrick
was in almost constant pain.
“I SAW THE GATES…I SAW
The first time he came
HEAVEN! BUT I HEARD A
through our doors here at
VOICE SAYING, ‘NOT YET.’” the Mission, he was using a
walker and wearing a neck
brace. Since then, he’s been hospitalized three times – and our doors have
always been open for him to return.
“They’ve never stopped caring for me!”
“Every time I came through the doors, it got a little better,” he says.
With good food, a place to call home and people who cared about him,
Patrick began to change. And once he joined our Training Faithful Men
program, his spiritual life blossomed as well.
“If the Mission wasn’t here, I don’t know what I would be doing,” he
says with gratitude. “I bless God every time I get the chance.”