Carry Amend
Carry is the Guest of the Month for June 2008. The Mission has helped Carry twice.

In January 2004 Carry graduated from our Women's Program. She was successful in working and caring for her son for four years. Carry was employed at our Service Center. She ended that employment to care for her sister's children while her sister was stationed in Iraq for 15 months. She continued as nanny for her sister's children when she returned to Nebraska.

However, when Carry's sister moved to Washington, D.C., Carry was unable to find other work due to her son's behavior problems. He was too difficult for regular day care. Carry came back to us for assistance.

While staying with us Carry was able to have her son diagnosed. He will soon be enrolled in day treatment for Oppositional Defiant Disorder. When he completes treatment, he will be transisitoned to kindergarten.

Carry is looking forward to working full time. Until then, she works part-time jobs whenever possible, mostly cleaning. Carry is recognized as Guest of the Month for her work toward regaining independent living, for her positive attitude and her general helpfulness in our community.

Our prayers are with Carry and her son as they begin treatment for ODD.

Jan and AJ Lambert
This is a story of success. Success which was taught and shown to us, by God for the path to take success — brought to reality by the teachings and guidance of The People's City Mission. A little background history: the path that AJ and I were travelling was the road to destruction and inevitable death. We both were, what society considered, (and we, ourselves, considered,) chronic and career cocaine addicts. Years of our lives, over 20 years for each of us, was spent in the grip of addiction. We both exhausted numerous occasions in treatment centers, counseling and various other means to attempt to conquer our addictions. We both experienced the loss of our families; I experienced the loss of custody of my children.

AJ and I arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska from Minnesota on the run. I had become a confidential informer for the police department in the city in which we lived in order to get money to buy more drugs for us. We found ourselves in a life threatening situation with drug dealers and their posses. We spent several weeks sleeping in our car at the Wahoo rest area. We were still using cocaine then, and AJ worked minimally through Labor Ready to get enough money for us to purchase cocaine. We ate one meal a day at the Matt Talbot Center. Life was existence and miserable.

Be it known that AJ and I both come from upper to middle class families. We were raised believing that Jesus is Salvation; we knew right from wrong — but we were caught in the devil's snare. One day, a homeless person, not unlike ourselves, told us about The People's City Mission. We, in desperation, wanting to find a way out of our addictions and make a good life for ourselves, found ourselves at the doorway to what we call God's House. The mission took us in without question, without condemnation, without judgment. They did what the Bible tells us — God will take care of our needs, not our wants. We were fed, given fresh sheets and beds to lie down in and sleep; showers and necessities to bathe — a real roof over our heads. Most importantly, we were given an avenue, a doorway to find the Lord again. The Word says that all we need to do is to knock and the door will be opened. We knocked, with our whole hearts, we knocked; and giving glory to the Lord above, He gave us His Grace.

We spent several months, struggling, fighting, sometimes screaming and crying to stop using the cocaine and all the while, the Mission held our hands, prayed for us, talked with us, guided us and supported us. The demons continued to onslaught us, "maybe just this one more time"; "things are better, you can handle it now" were common thoughts through our minds. AJ and I bought an old camper after several months. The Mission allowed us to park it on their property and still have the amenities they could provide us. We attended church services at every opportunity. Our faith grew stronger. We began to fully participate in the services; I played the piano in church every Sunday. We were allowed to take the time we needed for our souls to heal; to fill the black voids inside our hearts, to be filled with God's love.

The Lord took His place in our hearts and kept us safe. Through the instructions, teachings, guidance from people employed at the Mission, AJ and I have been clean and sober for almost five years now. AJ works with his brother in a specialized construction business. I work for an engineering firm. We have a two-bedroom townhome in Bloomington, Minnesota. I attend college working toward my Bachelor of Science in Business and Administration with a grade point of 3.67.

Certainly, we have life struggles, but today, with the foundation taught and given to us by the Mission, we have learned the coping skills in order to get through the trials. Self-medication is not an option for us anymore. Without the love given to us by all of the people at the Mission, we, AJ and I, do not believe we would be alive today. Our addictions were on final approach. The People's City Mission turned our lives around, God turned our paths, we have a testimony — we need to share this testimony. Without the Mission, we would be lost. We are alive; God is alive in our lives and hearts. Gratitude cannot be expressed.

Erin

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Betty's Gift of Love
At Easter, Christmas, and other times of year, Betty Meyer sews dresses for the little girls at the Mission. She was here last week bringing more than ten little dresses in various sizes, each on its own little hanger.

'Those of us who sew marvel at Betty's craftsmanship! The faces of our mothers and little girls light up with joy as they select and try on Betty's dresses.

The little girls who wear Betty's dresses have never seen or met Betty. However, we all know Betty ... we know her by her love!

Thank you Betty for the beautiful, hand-made dresses!

Edyie
Edyie and her husband Dan were evicted from their apartment in March and were homeless. They came to the Mission. Edyie had been working as a dishwasher in a local restaurant, but when business declined she was terminated. She was unable to find another job. One hurdle to employment was Edyie's appearance. Her front teeth were badly decayed and were starting to chip and break. She was self-conscious and had constant dental pain.

Affordable Dentures volunteered their services to help Edyie. After 12 extractions, she was fitted with three partial plates. Although she is still recovering, her smile says it all! Edyie is opening a new chapter in her life. She would like to enroll in school and believes that with her new front teeth, more positions will be available to her.

Dan, an experienced machinist, is looking for work. His dream employer is Kawasaki. Our thoughts and prayers are with Edyie and Dan as they work to get back on their feet.

Tammy
Update: Tammy starts her new job as a truck driver May 20th! Tammy has been at the Mission twice. The first time, five years ago, she met her husband here! They have been married for three years. In 2007, Tammy qualified as a commercial truck driver and found a job in Kansas. Her husband rode with her, acting as her navigator. Everything was going fine.

Then Tammy got a call that her son from a previous marriage had been hit by a car. She quit her job in Kansas and came to Lincoln, where her son is living with his father. Tammy and her husband are back at the Mission for the second time.

Tammy is looking for work as a commercial truck driver. While driving in Kansas, she had no accidents, no legal violations, and no tickets during her six month employment. She has a Nebraska CDL with all of the endorsements. Tammy's husband is a hard worker. He is constantly volunteering to do jobs around the Mission. We are confident that Tammy will find a job and that she and her husband will move out of the Mission very soon.

Deb
Deb was born in 1979 with a birth defect called Spina Bifida. Deb's spinal cord was incompletely formed. When she was two days old, she had surgery to close her spinal cord, but she was left with life-long disabilities. She has partial paralysis below the waist and diminished sensation below the knees. Deb needs leg braces, from waist to toes, in order to walk. Throughout her life, she has been called "stupid" or "lazy" and has suffered from self esteem issues. Deb now lives on Social Security Disability, but was recently evicted when her move to a new apartment caused a delay in receiving her check. She came to the Mission in a wheelchair.

Deb has not has leg braces for the past five years. Arthritis in her knees and various medical problems have sapped her strength and made it difficult to walk. However, at the Mission, Deb's future is changing. Deb has been going to daily devotions, called the Filling Station, and is supported by the prayers and friendship of the staff and guests. Deb reports that folks at the Mission respond to her very positively, often offering help even before she asks! Deb has decided to try leg braces again. She wants to start physical therapy to strengthen her muscles.

Our prayers are with Deb as she takes on the challenge of walking. We are all dedicated to helping her succeed.

Chris
Chris tells his story through this poem that he wrote. It is printed and framed in the Curtis Center.