Al’s life began in terror. At the tender age of six, he witnessed his father brutally beat his mother. It rocked him to the core, and he never was able to shake the horror.
Al’s mother, now single, took care of him, and he went on to graduate high school. He attended church and enjoyed reading the Bible. But he also enjoyed drinking and partying with his friends. Al soon realized he had a real knack for sales. He opened a retail store here in Memphis, which quickly grew to three stores. He was a success … nice cars, fancy suits, a girlfriend and two children he adored. Life was good.
Unfortunately, he was still drinking and hanging out with a crowd using drugs. He tried crack cocaine out of curiosity and was quickly addicted. He left his family, sold off his possessions and lost his businesses.
It was a dark time. With his stores gone, he took to selling on the street to passers-by, but all the money he earned went for drugs. Then one day, he couldn’t sell anything. Nobody bought a thing. “Then I heard God tell me I was done.” His life of drug taking and hustling was over. “I knew I couldn’t go on living without Him.”
On top of that, the news came that his mother had passed away. Al had always been close to her, and she loved him through thick and thin. That broke him. Tired and weary, Al came to Memphis Union Mission. Soon after he joined the Iron-on-Iron program.
Guided by supportive staff, Al completed the courses with determination. “There is so much love and encouragement from the staff at Memphis Union Mission, you can feel God working here!”
Today, Al is proudly eight years sober! He is very successful in his job and has a good relationship with his children. He is thankful to God for always being there for him, even when he strayed so far away.
Al is also thankful for your generosity. “I thank God for the donors. Without the donors, the Mission would not be here, and without the Mission, I don’t know where I would be. You helped bring me back from a certain death!“ Thank you for blessing Al and others like him. You save lives when you give to Memphis Union Mission. “There is so much love and encouragement from the staff at Memphis Union Mission, you can feel God working here!”
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