Meet Ken

Ken grew up with parents who were both alcoholics. But in trying to escape the chaos in his house, he started spending time with the wrong crowd.

“I tried to stay away from home as much as I could, and I ended up hanging out with the wrong kind of friends. I tried drugs at age 12 and it put me on a path to destruction.”

For more than 30 years, Ken tried to numb his feelings with drugs and alcohol. He chose drugs over his family, abandoning his children when they were young and spending many years homeless on the streets.

“I had no friends. I lost many jobs… and my dignity. I got to the point where I had no hope left.”

Then one day, Ken called out to God for the strength to overcome his pride and get help.

When he walked into Holland Rescue Mission, everything changed for Ken.

“When I got here, I immediately felt love,” he says, smiling. “They made me feel welcome and taught me how to deal with my issues instead of hoping they would go away.”

“I’m learning more about how to walk as a Christian and show God’s love to other people, instead of it being all about me.”

Through our Program, Ken got right with the Lord again.

“I’ve always had a relationship with God, but I was drifting away. Now I can see that I have value and a purpose in this world.”

Ken learned what true faith meant, and gained the knowledge and tools to walk closer with Jesus. He is a Resident Assistant for others who are still in the Gateway Program and has found purpose in serving others while he looks for a place of his own.

“Now I feel at peace with everything going on around me. I actually have joy in my heart.”

He is taking steps to reconcile with his children and feels called into ministry to share his faith and experiences with others.

Thanks to the blessing of your support, Ken is celebrating Easter as a new creation in Christ. “I have a relationship with God and that comes first. Once you have that, everything else follows.”

To read his story in the Easter 2021 issue of Changing Lives, click here.