Dennis

Life isn’t a bowl of cherries. I’ll be honest--my life is very difficult. But I know one thing—it would be a lot worse if I used drugs.

It’s Dennis again. I came to the Mission for treatment back in the 90s. Through the program, I found counseling, hope, and a path to a much more stable life with God’s help. Right away I knew I could give back, so I worked in the Mission kitchen as a food service manager for many years. For all the sadness in my life, helping others helps me to be comfortable in my own skin.

When issues in my personal life became stressful, I took a break from management and became a sexton at a church. Loved ones became very sick. I knew that picking up drugs and alcohol would numb the stress, but I needed to stay sober to be there for them. Besides, I see the people that relapse into addiction—they all want to come back into sobriety.

I love the Boston Rescue Mission because it taught me responsibility and brought me to God. So when I got the call to come and help out here, I thought about the possibilities for ministry. A lot of broken people come to the Mission. People here see me, the trouble I’ve been through, and how I’m staying clean. That’s an incredibly powerful example I can give.

And God can work through me too. If I can help people in recovery see the goodness of life, to open doors and trust God to heal them, those are blessings that I can bring.