Jason is grateful to God and the Mission for helping to restore his family.

He was baptized at the Mission

When Jason was in junior high, his mother and him were kicked out of their apartment. They lived in his mother’s car for years. “My childhood, I didn’t really get to see,” Jason said. “I grew up pretty quick bouncing around from friend’s house to friend’s house, trying to always see where my mom was at. She was doing her thing; she was doing drugs. I was always around drugs my whole life.”

At 17, Jason and his girlfriend had their first child. He dropped out of high school so he could work and provide for his family. A few years later, they had another child. Jason worked in the city’s maintenance and operations department for 20 years. “I worked my way up, but I was still drinking, partying, doing drugs, not knowing I had an actual problem.”

Jason’s life began to “crumble” after he split with his girlfriend. “I got an apartment, left my family, and was still partying hard, doing drugs, drinking alcohol. I lost my job (due to an injury) and then I was homeless. I was living in my car and on the streets for seven years.

“By the grace of God, a friend found me. He had heard that I was in Reseda, so he drove down every street just looking for me. I thank God every day that he found me. I was literally in the gutter. I was 90 percent dead. I was dying. I could smell the death on me.

“He gave me food, Gatorade, asked me what my plan was. I told him I wanted to start over. He took me to the beach, and I was in the water for 20 minutes just praying, washing my sins away. He let me stay the night and the next day, I was at the Mission.”

It’s hard for Jason to put into words what being at the Mission has meant to him. “From the first day, I was just so grateful and thankful that I was in this program. I have rarely, in my life, been sober. I have been doing drugs and alcohol since I was 10 years old. I never thought I’d be in a program, let alone sober. I’ve never felt so happy.”

Jason’s family has been restored. He reconciled with his mother, who is also sober, his sister, and his children. Jason is also deeply grateful to the staff that have helped teach him new life skills, both at the Mission and

the thrift stores, where he does his work study.

In November, Jason was baptized at the Mission by Pastor Oscar Corral (men’s program manager). “I was ready,” Jason said. “I never thought I would ever get baptized. God was drawing me in; I was closer to the Lord. I wanted to wash the old me away. I’m a new person.

“I wouldn’t have lasted another day on the streets; I was dying. I love the Mission. It saved my life and made me who I am today. I love my new life.”