My Father’s House 503-492-3046 PO Box 1147, Gresham, OR 97030www.familyshelter.org http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Fathers-House-A-Community-Shelter-Inc

Helping Families, Transforming Lives

NONPROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPORTLAND, ORPERMIT NO. 714 MESSENGERPO Box 1147

Gresham, OR 97030

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

A New Life: Reborn and RebuildingA U T U M N 2 0 1 6A U T U M N 2 0 1 6A U T U M N 2 0 1 6A U T U M N 2 0 1 6A U T U M N 2 0 1 6

“Reborn,” continues inside

What does it take to rebuild a life? You can ask Peteand Lorena, because they have been through thehardest transformation you can imagine. They areexamples of whatperseverance and trustin God can do. Havingwalked the long hardroad of self-destruction,Pete is now walking inGod’s grace, changinghis addiction torecovery, and Lorena isthere to support himevery step of the way.

We met Pete andLorena seven monthsago. “We had alreadybeen through a lotbecause of myaddiction,” began Pete.He looked down, wipedhis eyes, and continued.

As a teenager, Pete started doing drugs with hisbrothers. “I tried to finish school and get back ontrack, but I was so addicted all I ever thought aboutwere drugs,” Pete said. “Before I knew it, I foundmyself homeless and on the streets. For five years, Iwandered trying to feed my addiction, diggingmyself into a big hole. I was lost. I felt God had givenup on me. I was disappointed, depressed, and angry.”

Then he met Lorena. ”I had heard rumors abouthim and I really didn’t want anything to do with him.I wasn’t interested in him at all.” She smiles and Petegrins, “I watched her, wanting to see if she was asomeone with character, someone who respectedherself and someone who cares about importantthings... and she was.” Somehow, Pete won her over

and she fell in love with him.Still, with drugs always on his mind, Pete

progressively got worse. Lorena couldn’t rescue him,He felt like God hadabandoned him. Hecouldn’t fight thedemon alone. Hespiraled out of controland there was noescape, no hope. Justthe gut-wrenchingcraving for drugs. Thencame a life changingmoment: he went to jail.

With one small sonand a baby on the way,Lorena moved in withher parents. Workingtwo jobs, traveling bybus, and attendingschool, Lorena was

alone… and furious at Pete. She managed to find anapartment and get settled.

Six long months of prison time gave Pete plenty oftime to think, and after getting out of jail he went tooutpatient treatment at Lifeworks. “I knew what Ihad to do, but I was selfish. I still needed to learnhow to trust God, love my family, and keep mydemons off my back.” Sadly, his new lifestyle wasshort-lived. When he returned home, his life fellapart again as he relapsed. Pete wasn’t able to keephis job, and they couldn’t afford their apartment onjust Lorena’s income, so the young family becamehomeless again.

They came for an interview at My Father’s House.Pete confessed his relapse and drug addiction and

Canned fruit

Fruit roll-ups

Spaghetti sauce

Milk Eggs

Cheese

Jam/Jelly

Chili / soup

Cereal - all kinds

Canned pasta meals

NEW full-size bed sheets

Birthday giftwrap/gift bags

Wish List

‘Uncorked’A Winter Wine Event

Presented by

Saturday, December 10th, 6:30 - 9:30 pmThe Aerie at Eagle Landing

10220 SE Causey Ave., Happy Valley, OregonReserReserReserReserReservvvvve ye ye ye ye your ticour ticour ticour ticour tickkkkkets todaets todaets todaets todaets todayyyyy503-492-3046 ext. 224

Chair

www.familyshelter.org http://www.facebook.com/pages/My-Fathers-House-A-Community-Shelter-Inc My Father’s House 503-492-3046 PO Box 1147, Gresham, OR 97030

A U T U M N 2 0 1 6A U T U M N 2 0 1 6A U T U M N 2 0 1 6A U T U M N 2 0 1 6A U T U M N 2 0 1 6P A G E 2P A G E 2P A G E 2P A G E 2P A G E 2 P A G E 3P A G E 3P A G E 3P A G E 3P A G E 3

By Sara Green, Volunteer ManagerOne of the wonderful things about

volunteering at My Father’s House is thatwe are usually able to fit you into avolunteering shift that works with yourschedule. Even if you are not able tovolunteer on a regular basis, you canhelp us by filling in when there is anoccasional need.

Karen Gracey has been filling in for usfor the past few weeks. Karen first heardabout My Father’s House back in 2013,and she jumped right in by adopting aroom, cleaning rooms for us, and justbeing there for whatever we needed.Now she’s retired and has been able tofill in for us at the reception desk. Shehas worked a couple of different shiftsfor us that fit into her schedule.

What Karen likes about My Father’s House is how our program strives to keepfamilies together. She has noticed that many calls are from families who areafraid they willhave to split up,and they are sorelieved whenthey find out wekeep familiestogether! Karenadded, “I really like it that you are privately funded, so we can run the programin a way that is beneficial to the residents.”

We are so thankful and blessed by Karen’s flexibility, her willingness to jumpinto helping with any project, and her caring heart. If you have ever felt youmay not have time to volunteer, we can probably find a shift that will work foryou! To start, contact Sara at sara@familyshelter.org or 503-492-3046 x224, orsign up for a house tour on our website.

We all have timesthat it is hard to see the lightat the end of the tunnel. Nomatter what I feel like fromday to day, this truth remains:there is always a light. As

Lessons for a Lifetime

WELCOME TO OUR NEW STAFF! We’re pleasedto introduce Dan, Program Director, and Teresa,Women’s Case Manager.

from theDirector’s

C........

families come to me who are struggling, I maytry to encourage them by reminding them thatthere is always a way out… a “light at the end ofthe tunnel”. Recently I was reminded about atime when I was on my “things will get betterspeech” and a young resident asked with allseriousness, “Yeah, but do I have to die?”

It really is that simple. When families come toMy Father’s House, many of them see this asthe end of the road, the end of hope, the end. Inreality, it’s the beginning. The beginning startswith hope. The beginning is paved with newskills, and a new start at life.

Make today count. I encourage you to be partof this life-changing organization. Give,volunteer, or whatever it is that you can do. Becreative! Don’t wait! Lives depend on the hopethat is within you. We’re counting on you to bethe light in our world of hurting families.

CatheCathe Wiese, Executive Director

Volunteer Spotlight: Karen GraceyBy Micah Wiese

I’ve been a professional educatorfor a number of years now. I oftenreflect on how idealistic I was when Istarted out. I love talking to newteachers, learning about all of theirbig ideas how they plan to changethe world. I also love talking to theveterans who have lost the idealism,but have gained so much skill. Iadmire the way that they care fortheir students because it’s their wayof life, not just because they are outto make a difference. If you ever havethe opportunity, sit down with ateacher and talk to them about thestudents that make it all worthwhile.You’ll see their eyes light up, they’llget more animated, and you’ll consider going back to school to get a teaching certificate.

Right now, when someone asks me, “How’s work?”, I talk about the awesome thingsthat are going on at My Father’s House. We’ve been conducting high school and GEDclasses for about the past year. We’ve graduated two students, and are expecting fourmore in the next few months. I love to sit with the moms and dads at MFH, and find outwhat their goals are. They always tell me what they’ve been learning in their classes,where they’ve been, and how bright the future looks. When I ask them why they wanttheir diploma, they talk about earning their next promotion, setting an example for theirkids, and fulfilling promises they made to their parents long ago.

One student, a single father of two wonderful kids, talked about how he thought he’dnever earn his diploma. As the years pile up, and circumstances dictate your path in life,he said, you begin to believe you can’t do it… and then he did it.

A young mom talked about her dream of working in healthcare. She wants to prove toher father that she can make it on her own. She wants to be an example to her kids. Mostof all, she wants to follow in the footsteps of her mother, whom she lost at age six.

In this season of thanks, I’m grateful that these students are here to help me maintain mypassion for teaching, and for those of you who support My Father’s House financially, aswell as in prayer. May God continue to bless these hardworking families and you!

“Reborn,” continued from page 1

his desire to be free from his destructivelifestyle. The staff at MFH encouragedhim to get clean and put his family first,things he hadn’t been able to do. “It was awake-up call, one of many, and I decided Ididn’t want to live like that anymore. I stillneeded to learn how to be a man.”

Through desperation, Pete sought helpfrom God and godly people and once

again worked on his recovery. It’s beenseven months, and there have beenmiracles that got him through this toughtime. God has become his source ofstrength, delivering him from the jaws ofaddiction and giving him a spirit of hope.Lorena has been right there by his side.It’s time to put this family back together.

“I am learning to trust God every day.

We go to church; I do the things I know Ineed to do. These things make me feelgood about who I am. I am a new person.I feel reborn. I have learned that Goddidn’t give up on me. He was alwaysthere, like that ‘Footprints in the Sand’poem. God has rescued me from a life ofaddiction and I know that he talks to meby giving me signs.”

Being at My Father’s House is like afresh start with an opportunity to learnnew skills and strengthen relationships. “Iknow I have a lifelong fight ahead of me,fighting my addiction, realizing what mytriggers are, and facing the demons byputting on God’s armor.” Pete smiles,“Yeah... it’s a new life. Enjoying my familyand never giving up.”

Email info@familyshelter.org

Adopt a Family for Christmas!

Relief front desk helpSpecial event team members

Concrete finisher helpBuilding maintenance

Volunteers Needed

Adopt a Family for Christmas!