Stories

Sylvester's Story : a Stolen Identity leads to Healing

Real life can be stranger than fiction, and Sylvester Shavers is one that could not be made up.

With money in his pocket and bank account, Sylvester was traveling by bus from Texas to Colorado Springs. A previous trucking accident had left him with arthritis in his back and shoulder making driving commercial vehicles painful.

Between here and Kansas City his wallet including all of his identification and bank cards were stolen. He had nothing. No way to pay for a bus ticket back or a hotel room.

Arriving in Lincoln, he was taken to the police station to report the theft, but there was nothing more to be done and nowhere else to go. The officers brought him to the emergency shelter here at the Mission.

"You don't understand it until you've been here. I felt hopeless and abandoned," Sylvester said. "But I never stopped trying. Someone else can't do it for me."

The next few weeks he worked to get a copy of his birth certificate from Arkansas so that he could replace the rest of his identification and access his money in his bank accounts. He applied and moved into the Curtis Center here at the Mission as well.

The Curtis Center is the men's transitional housing at the Mission. The men who apply and are admitted to the program are committed to changing their lives and getting back on their feet. They have their own rooms that they rent for a small amount of money. While there they learn life skills and rehab for whatever issues that might have brought them into homelessness.

With a new address here at the Mission, Sylvester had to retake the CDL test. He passed the 130-150 question test, but there was still the issue of being able to drive pain free due to the arthritis.

Rich Gervais and David Lewis, two of the men's shelter supervisors, prayed for Sylvester's healing. God healed him completely; there is no more pain in his back and shoulders. He is still looking for a driving job, but when he finds one he know he will be free of pain, because of healing in a place he didn't expect to be.

Within the last couple months, Sylvester Shaver has faced situations that no one imagines that they'll be in, but he has a positive attitude about it. He commented, "I have a different perspective now. I want to help more [homeless issue] now that I see what they go through." It's also made him see the good in other people, "they do care. God sends people at the time we need them the most."

Bill's Story : a Life Reborn and a Leg Healed

There are many amazing stories at the Mission, and we can't begin to share them all, but a story crossed our desk recently that needs to be told.

Bill Sabin has lived with multiple sclerosis for over 25 years; he stayed with his mom in Auburn for many of those years. His mom helped to care for him as he was unable to hold down a steady job due to the disease.

Another tragedy struck when Bill's mom passed away on October 2, 2010 due to complications from a heart attack. Bill ended up moving into the Curtis Center later that month; four of the rooms at the Curtis Center are designed to be handicapped accessible.

The guests staying in the Curtis Center are required to take classes; the first class that the staff connected Bill with was the grief and loss class. In one of the other classes, Rich Gervais, one of the staff members, reintroduced Bill to Christ. In Bill's words, "he feels reborn." He has God back in his life and a new perspective. The smile on his face and joy in his eyes shows that.

A few days after Bill reconnected with God; Rich and David Lewis prayed for healing for Bill's MS. As they were praying for him, Bill's left leg and toes that he has been unable to move for over two years began moving again. Bill kept repeating "you guys are scaring me," because of his amazement at the healing God was doing. David said that the look on Bill's face when his leg began to move was shock and awe.

Bill is slowly exercising his leg to begin building up the muscles that he hasn't used for 25 years. He has begun volunteering as much as he can in the kitchen at the Mission and at the Distribution Center in the near future. He is also looking forward to being able to find a steady job where he can work outside.

Below you will find the letter he wrote us. Hear the gratitude in his words and learn the heart of this great guy.

Dear Rich, Dave, Rick, Edith,

Thank you for the help you're giving me right now. Rich and Dave, thank you for the prayer of healing. I've never in the past two years been able to do what I'm doing now with my leg. It feels so awesome. Rick, I'm doing my volunteer hours and it feels so good to be out working again. Edith, you're like my mom that I had on this earth. I'm so happy with that. I will keep doing what you people have asked me. After Rich gave back God to me, I feel like I'm reborn again. And it feels so good to have him back in my life again. I don't know how to appreciate it, but I'm trying to. I just want to tell you guys thank you very much for what you counselors have given me so far.

Thank you,
William D. Sabin

The way God works is so amazing. Thank you for supporting the work of this ministry so that even just one man can have a changed life and the use of his leg again.

Lucy's Story : Safety at the Mission

I'd like you to meet Lucy. Lucy came to us from a nearby community, where she had lived most of her life. Lucy had her children and raised them there and was enjoying being a grandmother when she became involved in an abusive relationship. She struggled to escape her abuser, but he continued to pursue destroying her life. She eventually found her way to a shelter where she was able to stay for a short while until the shelter's funding ran out and she was forced to leave. She and a friend decided to come to Lincoln to find a safe place to live and look for work. When they got here, they were directed to the People's City Mission.

Lucy told me that when they got here they were amazed to not only find shelter but also food. Her friend commented to her that, "they have more food than you could ever eat!" And Lucy added, "and it's good food, I mean I've stayed in a lot of places but the food is always outdated and a little bit rotten, ya know, this food is amazing!"

Lucy told me about other shelters that she had stayed in that were "dirty" and "they don't even give you sheets. But here everything is so clean and nice! Compared to other places, this is like a hotel!" Lucy praised the shelter staff saying, "They are so friendly, and they help you find resources!"

For many women like Lucy, being trapped in an abusive relationship can become overwhelming to where they feel they have no hope. With the internet's abundant presence in our daily lives, it's easier than ever for predators to dominate their victims making escape nearly impossible. For this reason, we always change the names and many identifying factors of our guests and their stories to protect them. However we feel it is also important to get the message out that domestic violence is real, and its victims are among us every day.

Lucy has made great strides in the few short weeks that she has been here. She has found a job and is on her way toward free, independent living once again.

Great job, Lucy!