Aldo Goes Home

We first told you about Aldo in our September/October 2008 Stories of Hope newsletter. We told you about his past and his reputation among homeless tent camp residents in Des Moines. We told you about an attack that resulted in his hospitalization and led him to our Bethel Mission facility to recuperate.

And we told you how God grabbed hold of Aldo's life and gave him new hope.

We provided an update on Aldo in our March/April 2009 newsletter and shared with you the news that Aldo went home to be with the Lord after a battle with leukemia. He was able to spend his last months with his family in California. You can read both stories below.

After Aldo passed away, a Hope Ministries staff member received a phone message from Aldo's mom. His mother spoke in Spanish and through a translator, we were touched to hear her words:

I'm the mother of Aldo. I'm calling because my son died on January 26. During those last moments, he asked me to call you and thank you for all your kindness. I haven't called you because I haven't recuperated. But I'm grateful with all of my heart. Thank you.

We at Hope Ministries are so blessed to know that during Aldo's stay at Bethel Mission, he had a wonderful impact on other men in our facility; that he was able to rest with his family during his final weeks; and that he is healthy and whole again today in heaven. Thank you for your prayers for Aldo, his family and for all the lives he touched.

Is there Hope for Aldo?

Stories of Hope, September/October 2008 

Aldo is surrounded by the hospital staff he prays for and loves. “He lifts our spirits,” one nurse said.

Aldo Perez had a reputation. Other campers in the homeless tent camp where he lived along the Des Moines River tried to steer clear of him, especially when he was drinking. And though he came regularly to Hope Ministries’ Bethel Mission to eat at Hope Café, he was sometimes asked to leave when his anger led to altercations.

Hope Ministries' staff often encountered Aldo as they led volunteer Service and Mission (SAM) Teams during their weekly visits to homeless tent camps. A sense of something almost sinister seemed to permeate Aldo's presence, yet he was polite to the groups who came through distributing food and health care products. Repeatedly the staff invited Aldo to Hope Ministries' Bethel Mission emergency shelter and encouraged him by saying, “Aldo, you are a good man.”

Perplexed, one day Aldo finally asked a staff member, "Do you really think so? You don't even know me or all the bad things I have done!" The staff member responded, "Yes, I do believe you have goodness inside you. And when you get sick and tired of living this way, come to Hope Ministries because we have a plan for you."

SAM Team makes a promise in front of Aldo's old tent.

One night in early spring, Aldo was attacked by an intoxicated intruder who beat him nearly unconscious and then shattered his leg with a concrete block. Bleeding profusely, Aldo crawled to the street where he flagged down help and was taken to a local hospital. There, he spent hours in surgery. When the time came for his release, Aldo remembered the repeated invitation by Hope Ministries' staff and asked to be taken to our emergency shelter, Bethel Mission.

As Aldo recuperated at Bethel Mission, he felt God speaking to him through the kindness of the staff, volunteers and other residents there. He began to wonder if he could be a good man. And, he made plans to join Hope Ministries' Journey of Hope recovery program. But as his hope grew, Aldo fell desperately ill—blood tests revealed he had leukemia.

After Aldo learned he had less than a 30 percent chance of surviving leukemia, he made an urgent call to a Hope Ministries staff member he'd befriended. "Please come now!" he begged. "I want to surrender my life to Jesus Christ." His friend prayed with him over the phone, but during a later hospital visit Aldo told him he wanted to be remembered for good in his life and not the bad he had done. How could he accomplish anything for Christ if he was dying?

"You are in the perfect place for ministry!" his friend said. "You can be a blessing to the nurses and other patients here. Your acts of kindness can be your legacy." Weeks later, a nurse told Aldo's friend, "Whenever I come into Aldo's room, my spirit is lifted." He turned to look at Aldo who grinned selfconsciously. God was using him!

One night, men at our Bethel Mission emergency shelter were startled when the evening chapel speaker asked them: "How many of you know Aldo?"

Whispers rustled through the room, hands raised. Aldo! The guy with the temper? The guy you wanted to avoid whenever possible? Yeah, we know Aldo!

"Aldo is in the hospital with acute leukemia," the speaker said. "But I want to tell you a story ..." As the men heard of Aldo's heart transformation, they began to wonder, "If this is true, maybe I can change too!" That night, seven men surrendered their lives to Christ. Then some asked about our Journey of Hope recovery program.

Today, Aldo is in remission, but must have a bone marrow transplant if he is to survive. Now a member of our Journey of Hope recovery program, he has forgiven his attacker. But the pull of addiction is strong; please pray for Aldo and all of those in our recovery programs.

A Modern-day Prodigal Son

"He's never going to change."

Everybody says this about someone they know. For many, that someone was Aldo Perez.

You may remember Aldo's story from last year's September/October issue of Stories of Hope. Aldo, one of the most feared residents of the Des Moines River tent camps, came to Hope Ministries' Bethel Mission emergency shelter to recuperate after he was beaten and his leg shattered by an intruder.

During his stay, he felt God speaking to him through the kindness of the staff and residents. He began to wonder if, perhaps, he could be a good man. Then he fell ill and was diagnosed with leukemia. That's when he surrendered his life to Christ.

Since that article was published, Aldo underwent numerous hospital stays and chemotherapy treatments, but to no avail. His doctors told him he was out of options. Knowing Aldo had little time left, the staff of Hope Ministries encouraged him to go home. They went to the phone and called Aldo's mother, and mom and son shed tears together. "My son, you are coming home," his mother cried.

Aldo flew home to California last fall to be with his family and was cared for by a home hospice agency. Hope Ministries' staff and several tent camp volunteers spoke with Aldo every week and described him as a modern-day prodigal son.

Before he left for California, Aldo spoke at a chapel service at our Bethel Mission facility. "My name is Aldo Perez," he said. "All of you know me. I used to be strong physically—I could break your necks with my pinky finger. But I was weak spiritually. Now look at me (cane in hand, limping). I am weak physically, but I am stronger spiritually." When the chapel leader asked Aldo which he preferred, he answered without hesitation. "Brother," he said, "I'd rather limp the rest of my life for my Lord."

Aldo was baptized the week before he died on January 27.

When a life is surrendered to Christ, even a man like Aldo can change his ways . . . and more importantly, his heart. Because you are here for us, we were here to help Aldo answer God's call and lead others to Christ through his example. Bless you.

"I'm gonna limp for the Lord," Aldo says, surrounded by a few of the people who love him.