Mission Moments - Snapshots from the Soul
Every person who passes through the doors of City Union Mission has a unique story to tell - every man, every woman, and every child. Some stories are gripping, some are interesting, and some are heartwarming, while others are heartbreaking.
We have captured several stories that may change the way you view homelessness forever. Here is your chance to take a glimpse into the lives of a few of our precious clients, volunteers, and donors. We hope you will take a minute to engross yourself in these powerful testimonies. Please place yourself in their shoes, and join them in their past sorrows as well as their newfound joy.
Cindy W.
Cindy relates, “Each time Dan has asked for testimonies on how or why someone came to City Union Mission I have thought about what I would say. After hearing others I’ve thought wow, what’s wrong with me. I didn’t find myself being drawn to the Mission. I didn’t start as a volunteer and then feel the calling. I came because I needed a job. Pure and simple, or at least I thought. I’m, as a lot of you know, not real emotionally driven. I don’t cry at pictures of lost puppies and most usually delete any mushy, wushy, blah, blah, emails. I’m practical. I’m an if there’s a problem don’t whine about it, fix it and go on, kind of person. Well, what I’ve come to realize is that God knew this, so for me to come to the Mission it had to be for a practical reason…a job.”
“I had been at home since my daughters’ birth. But as a young married couple with a baby, a house payment, and an old car, we had decided it would be helpful if I got a part time job. My job experience was very limited. I had worked for K-Mart while in High School and for the Welfare Dept. for a short time. I wanted to work part time and not weekends or evenings. I wanted to spend that time with my husband and child. Not asking for much was I! Well low and behold my mother’s boss’s wife, who worked at the Mission, was looking for someone to come in part time, no evenings or weekends, to do some office work. I could handle that. Lucky for me the only requirement at that time was that you were a Christian, and you were willing to work in this part of town. So I drove down after Christmas 1978 to find the place and started work on January 2nd, 1979.”
“Here I was, working in a Mission typing envelopes and stuffing letters. No computers at that time! Everything was done by hand. But it was great. It was just where God wanted me to be. There were a number of young Christian women here and I really needed that. I needed that fellowship with Christian peers and I grew. I grew in my faith and in my abilities. I never used to pray “out loud.” I was always afraid I would say something stupid. Maybe it’s partly because of age, but I have learned to not care. I’m not talking to you all I’m talking to God and He doesn’t care if I say something stupid. He’s used to it and He knows my heart.”
Would you like to grow closer to God, too? It all starts with His Son, Jesus. Click here to find out how you can have a personal relationship with the Living God!
“I sometimes miss the “smallness” of the early days. Everyone in one building, knowing everyone. At one time we even had a small nursery so everyone just brought their babies to work with them. And believe me we had a lot of babies around at that time! My children have very fond memories of coming to work with me and getting candy from the cook, Harold, even though I had told him a million times to QUIT GIVING THEM CANDY! Although I do miss those days I have had the privilege of watching the Mission grow and grow and grow. I have made some incredible friends along the way some that are still here, and some that I still keep in contact with. Besides how sad would it be if after the 28 years I’ve been here we were still 20 people in one building? My prayer would be that in another 28 years, long after I am gone, the Mission would be twice as big as it is now. Wouldn’t that be great!”
“Anyway, to finish my story. If God wants you here for however long, He will bring you by whatever means is going to work for YOU…whether it’s being hit by lightning while on the way to the grocery store, and ending up at the Mission, or just because you need a job.”
If you are interested in finding out about our employment opportunities, please click here.