April 2026 Newsletter

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A New Purpose

Roy was released with a single approved address destination. His bus ticket was from the state prison in Salem to Roseburg Rescue Mission. He had regained his freedom, yet with supervision from his parole officer. He had to regularly check in, have his location confirmed, look for gainful employment, pay all court fines, not have intoxicating substances.

If he were to go homeless camping or violate any condition, he would go to jail for reevaluation. Indeed, it was for a parole violation that he had gone to prison for a short time.

Roy arrived at the Mission with no baggage and nearly broke. He was in our Emergency Shelter two weeks, then moved to Program Housing. He was in different positions: in the kitchen, in a supervisory role, and in maintenance. Then Roy was hired onto Mission staff as a Maintenance Helper and has since been promoted to Maintenance Supervisor. He has an income to be in a private room in our Transitional Rental Housing.

With all the parole conditions met, Roy is no longer under supervision. We helped to pay some of his DMV fines, so he could drive our vehicles for his job here.

He said, “The reason why I liked the Program was getting to help people less fortunate, listening to chapel messages, learning to give more than receive, feeding the hungry and homeless, being a good Samaritan. I wanted to be a part of the staff that shepherd the flock at the Mission. It was in a voluntary Bible study led by Chuck (Operations Manager), that my heart was touched. I wanted to be baptized. I wanted to give myself to the Lord.”

So, Chuck, Roy and others went to River Forks Park for the baptism. Roy is a new person with a new purpose to be a servant to others.