I was born and raised in Merced. I dropped out of school early and found work in the orchards. Before long, I began smoking marijuana, and the party lifestyle became my way of life. At 22, I started using crystal meth. It didn’t take long for the addiction to take hold, sending me down a path of drugs, arrests, and homelessness that lasted nearly thirty years.
Living on the streets was incredibly difficult, and over time it began to feel like there was no way out. While living under a tree along Highway 99, I reached a breaking point. I told myself I was done with the hopeless cycle of drugs and homelessness and that I needed help. I called my nephew, told him where I was, and asked him to come get me. He brought me to the Mission, and, with their help, I was admitted to the Navigation Center.
During the next eleven months at the Navigation Center, my Service Coordinator helped me rebuild important parts of my life. I received my California ID card, my birth certificate, and assistance getting my Social Security benefits back on track. I was also helped in obtaining a service animal for emotional support. Through the Homeless Court program, I completed community service hours that led to $2,000 in court fines being dismissed, and another case in Stanislaus Superior Court was also resolved. As I prepared to transition into permanent housing, the Housing Navigator helped me complete the necessary paperwork and located a furnished apartment where I now live. The staff supported me every step of the way.
While living at the Navigation Center, I also experienced a renewed faith. Earlier in life I had accepted God’s salvation through Jesus Christ, but I continued living the same destructive lifestyle. During my time at the Center, I realized I truly needed Jesus in my life and made the decision to surrender my heart to God. Since then, I’ve been given a Bible and have begun memorizing scripture. I have overcome alcoholism and meth addiction, and I recently quit smoking cigarettes—a habit I had had since I was ten years old.
After decades of hopelessness, I have been given a new lease on life. I am deeply grateful for the care and support I received from the staff at the Navigation Center. My hope now is to encourage others who are still living on the streets and help point them in the same direction I was shown.
“Thank you, Jesus, my Lord, and the Merced County Rescue Mission, for this amazing opportunity. You have truly changed my life.”
