The Welcome Mat is Out,

One chilly autumn day, Becky Wallace opened a letter from Hope Ministries asking for her support at Thanksgiving. As she read the story of a man’s life-changing experience at Bethel Mission, tears coursed down her cheeks and she remembered a day 10 years before…

Pain washed over Becky as she said goodbye to her 5-year-old son. He was going to live in California with his father — a situation that was best for the child, but devastating to his mother.

“Losing him put me in a whirlwind,” recalls Becky. “I took drugs to mask the pain and lost everything I had. I lived on the street and under bridges. I was so ashamed I stayed away from my family.

Then, Christmas Day in 1995, Becky and several friends came to our public dining hall at Bethel Mission for dinner. This simple experience changed her life forever.

“They prayed for us and showed us respect,” she remembers tearfully. “They gave us gifts though they didn’t even know us. Hearing the prayer that day and speaking to the people were what I needed to get my life back on track.”

Becky still has the handmade quilt she received during Christmas dinner at Bethel Mission so long ago. It serves as a reminder of God’s mercy and love. “I contacted my family — I hadn’t spoken to them in years — and asked for help. They were waiting for me!”

Becky’s family patiently cared for her as she recovered from her addiction. “I prayed and slept while they fed me and got me healthy again.” Soon she began going with her family to Bethany Lutheran Church where she still attends today. “I met my wonderful husband a couple years later and I have my own family now!” she beams.

“I’ve learned wholeheartedly in the last 10 years that no matter what I’ve done the Lord forgives me,” she says, adding these words of encouragement to others caught in addiction and homelessness:

“You may think you are not smart enough or that nobody cares. But the Lord loves you and He cares. You can be forgiven. Do what I did: no matter where you are or what you are doing — out loud or in the silence of your heart, say, ‘Here I am, Lord, show me what to do.’”

ˆToday, Becky works with the mentally disabled, passing on the same reassurance and love she found at Hope Ministries’ Bethel Mission, her family and her church.