Easter Issue 2009 u A PUBLICATION OF THE BAY AREA RESCUE MISSION

My earliest childhood memories include

angry words and blows to my body

N
ot many children start off with Alan’s friend, Ray, took him to the
as many strikes against them as Bay Area Rescue Mission to enroll in the
Alan Boyd. His dad was a WWII Mission’s Christian recovery program.
and Korean War vet who relentlessly That is when Alan prayed, “Please Jesus,
issued orders. “It was an impossible I have been doing it all wrong, take over
life for a four year old boy,” shared my life!”
Encouraging Words Alan, “and it grew harder from Today, Alan Boyd is a new man!
from John there. I spent my childhood God so changed his life that
Page 2 in constant shameful “As I he is now a staff member at
frustration. My mother was the Rescue Mission and has
a paranoid schizophrenic fell from the the reputation of having a
and my twin sister turned
to promiscuity to try to cliff, I cried kind and forgiving heart.
Truly, Alan Boyd is a
find acceptance.”
“I became a loner,”
out, ‘Jesus, RESCUED LIFE because
folks like you cared enough
continued Alan, “but the save me.’” to pray and support the
pain was more than I could Bay Area Rescue Mission!
I used to start bear, so I turned to drugs May God bless your life-saving
every day using and alcohol.” gifts and prayers!
drugs . . . “For the next decade,
Page 3 I wandered as a homeless
alcoholic. I was arrested 32
times for being drunk in
public, had two visits to the
psychiatric ward, and three
arrests while driving under
the influence.”
“Then one afternoon I
was moving some furniture May God bless
A benefit for the up a steep cliff and I lost my your life-saving
balance. As I fell from the gifts and prayers!
Mission’s Center for
Homeless Women cliff, I cried out, ‘Jesus, save
and Children me.’ My injuries were mild
Page 4 and I knew that God had
rescued me.”

u 2114 MACDONALD AVE. u RICHMOND, CA 94801 u 510-215-4555 u www.BayAreaRescue.org

2009 Special Events and
Volunteer Opportunities M ess age fro m the Director
A

C
onsider this goldmine of
RO (and

D
opportunities available to the
ear Friend, at m y d es k, the word HE
I ke ep valor;
ictionar y that rage or feats of
earliest prospectors. Stake
y W eb st er ’s D fo r th ei r co u
your claim in the 2009 volunteer gold In m n renowned
ined as a perso accomplishmen
ts.
Heroine) is def
rush. Serve others and find yourself
te r, id ea ls , or
for their charac
mining the most precious gem of
all — a harvest of blessings! anyone admired the folks in
n Recovery from Homelessness r as I ga th er with our staff, ts for
Graduation Celebration This Easte s, an d ou r homeless gues
our recovery pr
og ra m onderful
March 15
se rv ic e I will have the w
sun ri se orld has
n Easter Sunrise Service and our traditional of th e G re at est Hero the w
tell them He is
Breakfast for the Homeless
opportunity to so m u ch m or e than a hero,
April 12 fact, He is
n 14th Annual New Life Golf ever k nown. In
our Savior. ent to share
Tournament
e M is sion we are dilig
Area R es cu ors. And
May 11
At the Bay e w h o co m es through our do th at people are re
scued
n King’s Club Graduation it h ev er yo n ac e of Je su s
God ’s love w ercy and gr an 3,015
Celebration d th at it is by the m p as t 12 months more th
we are co n vi n ce fact , in th e rea Rescue
June 7
ar e sa ve d fo r all eternity. In in to th ei r h ea rts at the Bay A
n Labor Day Volunteer and lives cepted Jesus
en , bo ys, and girls ac me.
om l never be the sa
Appreciation Picnic , w
m en with
September 7
on . . . an d th ei r li ve s w il
an t to sh ar e a short message
Missi eroes that I w
n Back to School Block
e is an ot her group of h oes?”
Party and BBQ Yet , th er
“W h o are these her pport make
September 17
today. You mig
ht be as k in g,
te er is m , and financial su
ers, sacrif ices,
vo lu n ideals.
n Fall Graduation
r d ee d s, pr ay h o h as gr ea t character and
YOU! You e w ayed
October 18
e to id en ti fy you as someon e n ev er m et . You have displ
m probably h av
n Thanksgiving Meals and it very easy for ou t someone you a part of our co
mmunity
so m u ch ab by co m in g to luable.
Groceries
You care it h braver y and va
lor
n ow that they are va
November 23-25 Meals in the Tent d ac te d w p eo p le k
courage an You let a lost mplish miracle
s in
November 23 and 24
e m os t p eo pl e tr y to avoid. se d yo u to ac co
wher as u ope.
because God h amation and h
Food Bag Distribution for
u ar e a h er o e be yo n d re cl
thought wer
Impoverished Families
Yes, to us yo at most of society w oman, a little gi
rl, or a
November 25 the Great
of p eo p le th n e (a m an , a sion
Thanksgiving Banquet the lives -s av in g hero to someo B ay A rea Rescue Mis
d a li fe s of th e
You are indee ay to the door
mak ing their w
n Christmas Meals and Groceries
bo y) w h o is
December 21-23 Meals in the Tent little
urs a Blessed
ish you and yo
December 21 and 22
right now. an d L os t, I w
the Homeless
Food Bag Distribution for
Impoverished Families On behalf of
n Homeless Children’s Christmas Easter Season,
Celebration
Director
erson, Executive
December 24 Children’s Christmas
Jo h n M . A n d
Gospel Party Rev.
creation;
Ready to dig in?
is in C h ri st , they are a new
Contact Dave K, the Volunteer Guy at anyone has come!”
510-215-4865 or send an email to: “Therefore, if an d b ehold the new
go n e,
DaveK@BayAreaRescue.org. Go for the old has 2nd Corinthians
5:17
the gold!

“Thank You for Making the Miracles of Rescue Possible

The Great Thanksgiving Banquet:
Thousands of meals were provided

Fall 2008
Congratulations to all
of our Mission Graduates
2
 I Used To Start Every Day Using Drugs A Bright Hope
for Tomorrow!
Now, I Begin Every Day
In God’s Word and Prayer T
he lovely classic
hymn, “Great is Thy
Faithfulness,” seems

M
y name is Jeremy and I’m 23 Former friends no longer ask me to to quote some of the favorite
years old. I came to the Bay Area buy drugs sayings of our homeless guests,
Rescue Mission because I had once they come to the Bay Area
For years my life broke the hearts of
nowhere else to go. I spent all my Rescue Mission.
money on drugs and because of “When people who were most important
to me — especially my mother. The first is:
all the hurt, pain, and shame I was All I wanted to do was party.
that I caused my family I “Morning by morning new
homeless I thought life was only about mercies I see.
was no longer welcomed at
anyone’s home. and lost on having fun. How different my
life has become today! Now All I have needed, thy hands
Before I came to the the streets . . . when I walk down the sidewalk have provided.
Mission, for years, I would I always felt with my Bible under my arm, Great is Thy faithfulness,
start every morning smoking all alone.” my old associates no longer try Lord, unto me.”
pot and using cocaine. I lived for to sell me drugs. It’s like they treat
drugs but what I was living for was me with respect. And the second is:
actually destroying me. Then one day I For the first time in my life, I feel like “Thine own dear presence
called the Rescue Mission to see if I could I’m doing the right thing. Christ is the to cheer and to guide…
get a bed in the shelter — they said, “Yes.” answer to all my problems. Thank you for Strength for today and
After being at the Mission a few days helping the Rescue Mission to help me. bright hope for tomorrow,
I asked about joining the recovery program God bless you for all you do, you helped
and there was room for me. They asked if me find my way home. Blessings all mine, with ten
thousand beside!”
I was ready to put my life together and I
said, “Yes.” But they let me know that What a joy to watch a man
my part of the bargain was to humble or woman once enslaved to
myself and abide by the program rules. despair become grateful and
It’s been challenging at times, but it is filled with joy at the prospect of
really worth it! each new day.

When I was homeless and lost on the Thank you for partnering
streets, pushing a shopping cart around, with the Lord to bring strength
I always felt all alone. I hated it! During for each day and bright hope
those days, when things would get quiet, I for tomorrow to people who had
knew that I wanted more than this for my lost their way!
life. That’s why I am so glad that I called
the Rescue Mission and asked for a bed.

in 2008” We provided
1,707,982 meals
83,964 nights
of lodging
3,016 received Jesus

Holiday Food Bag

Giveaway Helps
Christmas at the Thousands of
Mission was Special for Needy Families
Underprivileged Kids
3
Hooray for 2008 Holiday Heroes! Join us for the
Bay Area Rescue

T
hese are just a few of the heroes who made Thanksgiving and Mission’s New Life
Christmas 2008 a warm and wonderful holiday season for our Golf Tournament
homeless and hungry guests! To see the complete list which
includes volunteers and generous supporters, please visit our website at
www.BayAreaRescue.org/HolidayHeroes. Monday, May 11, 2009
The Beautiful Rossmoor
• Walnut Creek • Chevron • Tabernacle of Praise Golf Course
Christian Academy Church of Oakland Walnut Creek
• Saint Joseph’s School of
• Valley Baptist Church
of San Rafael
Pinole
• Northgate High School
• Willow Spring Church
• Soroptimist
O ur sponsors
and golfers
rank this five-star
• Bay Alarm Wind Ensemble International of
tournament as
Richmond
• Carrows Restaurants • Roughing It Day Camp their #1 favorite
• Trinity Evangelical Free golf event!
• Galaxy Desserts • Gex-Pro Please join
Church of El Cerrito
• KFAX 1100 AM – • California State us to benefit the
• Pilgrim Rest Missionary Mission’s Center
The Spirit of the Bay Automobile Association
Baptist Church for Homeless
• KDYA – 1190 • The Original Hickory Women and
• Moraga Valley
The Light and KDIA Pit of Walnut Creek Children and
Presbyterian Church
1640 AM change lives for
• Contra Costa College
• First Presbyterian a brighter tomorrow!
• Nations Pies Comets Men’s Baseball
Church of Berkeley Contact us soon to save your
Team
• East Bay Community spot by calling the Tournament
• Wells Fargo Bank
Foundation • The Hercules Chamber Office at 510-215-4889 or email
Volunteers of Commerce • Trinity Community DebraA@BayAreaRescue.org
Church of San Rafael
• Sanders Dickinson • National Charity
Foundation League of Lafayette • Northern California
Cruisers
• Richmond Rod and • California Academy
Gun Club, Inc. of Performing Arts • Berkeley Cement, Inc.
• Volunteer Center • Tabernacle Baptist • The Fox Foundation
of the East Bay Church of Concord

My Easter Gift
YES, John, I’m happy to do my part Here is my best gift of:
to help provide hope and healing to the m $20.50 to provide 10 meals and other assistance
m $30.75 to provide 15 meals and other assistance
addicted, the homeless and the lost at m $61.50 to provide 30 meals and other assistance
this Easter season. m $________ to provide as many meals and as much
care as possible
m Please bill my credit card m Please include me in the free email newsletter
m VISA m MC m AMEX m DISCOVER

ACCOUNT NO. EXP. DATE Bay Area Rescue Mission

P.O. Box 1112
NAME SIGNATURE
Richmond, CA 94802-0112
ADDRESS

CITY / STATE / ZIP Please mail this completed form, and return it with your Easter donation, or you may
donate online at www.BayAreaRescue.org. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.
EMAIL ADDRESS You will receive a receipt.