Dear Friend,

I love the holiday season and its glorious reminder of the Gospel, that God sent Jesus into the world to save us all from our sins. It’s also a time of year I reflect on how grateful I am for people like you, who partner with us in this mission to share the good news with those we serve.

The familiar story is so beautiful, and it never gets old!

“An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’” (Matthew 1:20,21)

That message of hope is so needed for everyone. The men, women and children who come to us in the midst of crisis are desperately in search of hope. Maybe the Christmas story is not top of mind for these neighbors — people who are experiencing homelessness, struggling with an addiction or trying to escape violence and abuse. But in the midst of crisis, the thing that we most need is hope.

Christmas reminds us that God’s love triumphs over all circumstances of life — most profoundly over our spiritual impoverishment. This is our hope and the hope of all those we serve, as we point men, women and children to the Savior of the world.

And because we have this hope, despite all the pressures and challenges we face, we can rejoice as we remember and honor Jesus Christ who was born to save us. This season and always, may we all celebrate Christmas in such a grand and gracious way that we point people to the born Savior, our Prince of Peace!

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President

Dear Friend,

I always look forward to the fall — a beautiful season of falling leaves, changing colors and thoughtful reflection. At times, the past two and half years have felt like one big season of challenges, full of endless twists and turns. Yet, despite the challenges, I am thankful.

As we approach Thanksgiving this year, I’m reminded that the entire history of Thanksgiving in our country was born out of — and celebrated in spite of — troubles and grief. From the Pilgrims in 1621 to the Civil War in 1863 to just before World War II in 1941, the holiday has withstood centuries of twists and turns, always serving to remind us that we truly do enjoy many blessings.

Even now, finding ourselves once again challenged by the circumstances of our day — rising food costs, record inflation, stock market turmoil, war, etc. — we are able to look around at a troubled world and know that God is in control. For that, we can give great thanks!

As struggling men, women and children walk through our doors to escape their own troubles — hardships like poverty, abuse, addiction and homelessness — I am grateful for the privilege of watching God transform them to hope, joy and lasting productivity. Often, that transformation begins when a hurting neighbor receives basic necessities like meals, clothing and shelter — things that your support helps provide. But that’s not all they find here at MRM. God is using your gifts to provide educational opportunities, spiritual guidance, job training and so much more to these precious souls!

Thank you for your compassion toward those who turn to MRM for help. Your generosity is making a real difference in the lives of those who are hurting in our community! I thank God for you!

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President

Dear Friend,

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” I love those words taken from Romans 12:2 (NIV). They describe so perfectly what God is doing in the lives of men, women and children every day at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission — people like Anthony, whose story you can read in our July newsletter.

You see, transformation is what we long to see in the lives of those who come through our doors for help. Often, once basic needs are met — like food, clothing and shelter — our guests start to experience real change. Nourished and comfortable in a welcoming environment, they realize they are safe — and the door to hope is opened. We are able to share the message of God’s love and His desire to have a relationship with them. And, we’re able to explain that He created them with a purpose.

As He works in their lives, and as He uses you to work in their lives, we count it a privilege to witness these precious souls experience true transformation — not only in their health and well-being, but in the transformation and renewal of their minds to new hope!

Your support helps make this kind of lasting change possible for folks like Anthony. I hope you’ll be encouraged when you read his story and know how grateful Anthony and so many others like him are for your generosity!

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President

P.S. Once again, committed friends like you showed up in a big way to support our neighbors in need through our More Than Meals Matching Challenge. Your gifts, doubled through the match, totaled $427,079.73 for life-changing care. We can’t thank you enough!

Dear Friend,

I am always so grateful when I see how God is using caring people like you to provide critical resources, encouragement and care to men, women and children experiencing hunger and homelessness. More than that, it humbles me that God has given us the privilege of being part of the real life transformation that takes place here.

And a crucial turning point in that transformation is when our guests learn the most important lesson we could ever share: that God loves them. That God forgives their sins through the finished work of His son, Jesus Christ — who lived, died and was raised to new life to redeem us from all of our mistakes, guilts and sins. When they embrace that truth by faith, that’s when real transformation happens.

The precious people who embark in our programs grow in so many ways. They learn how to work as part of a team, gain skills and training in practical areas like food service or housekeeping, and they develop important soft skills, like time management and budgeting. They also learn how to build healthy relationships, as well as create a supportive community that will hold them accountable.

But when they truly understand that transformation takes faith, time and hard work, and that they have God’s help, as well as the support of the Christian community — that’s when they realize the truth of Philippians 1:6 (NIV): “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

What a privilege we have to witness God’s love and grace in action as lives are transformed through Jesus each and every day. Thank you for being a part of this miraculous work!

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President

Dear Friend,

For Christians, Easter is the central historic truth of our faith. Jesus is God’s perfect solution for the problems we face in our day-to-day lives, as well as the problems facing those we serve every day at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission. His resurrection means that every sinner — which is all of us — can be reconciled to God and filled with His Holy Spirit.

Every day of the year, we aspire to share the hope of Easter with our guests and throughout our community. And we aspire not only to share this hope, but to live and work according to it. By God’s grace, this hope is seen all over MRM — from the simple acts of love and kindness that daily occur within our walls, to the two huge signs atop our Central Campus building that say Christ died for our sins and Jesus Saves that can be seen from blocks away!

Making Easter Real and Personal

Whenever we celebrate someone graduating from one of our programs, our graduates give testimony of how their lives were changed because they heard the Gospel and now embrace the hope that Jesus brings. Where once they were struggling, feeling lost, alone and hopeless — now, many will be moved to tears of gratitude because of the transformation they’ve experienced. By God’s power, our guests overcome crises, brokenness, addiction, hurt, anger and more.

When you partner with MRM to serve men, women and children in need, you are helping not only to “love your neighbor” as God commands, but to share His perfect solution of Jesus Christ. With your help, Easter becomes so much more than just another holiday — it becomes a celebration of God’s life-changing power and grace through the life, death and triumphant resurrection of His Son!

God bless you for caring about those facing homelessness, hunger and hardship in our community. Thank you for sharing with them the truth of the resurrection and the love of Jesus! Happy Easter — Christ is risen!

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President

Dear Friend,

Even as the New Year inspires a spirit of optimism, this time of year can also be a little bleak in Milwaukee. The days are cold and short, and spring feels a long way off. But for our neighbors who are struggling with poverty, addiction and other crises, winter is more than just a bit dreary — it’s dangerous, even deadly.

That’s why I’m so grateful for you. By God’s grace, your prayers and support ensure that the light and hope of the Gospel shine brightly at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission — even on the darkest winter days. In John 8:12 (NIV), Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” What a wonderful promise for our guests!

And there’s no doubt — as 2022 gets underway, so many in our community need that light. The pandemic, economic upheaval, inflation, supply chain issues … they’ve all combined to multiply challenges, especially for those who were already struggling.

But there is hope!

Not long ago, I was talking with one of our program grads, Mike, who joined our staff following graduation. Mike is someone who had endured a tremendous amount of hardship before coming to MRM. Because of addiction, he lost his job, family, home, everything! But God used the support of friends like you to enable him to turn his life around here — he got sober, found healing and embraced the “light of life” described in John 8. With great emotion, Mike recently made a special point to say thank you — he now has a new job and his own place, and is beyond grateful for the new life that folks like you made possible.

Today, Mike is indeed a “new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV) — just like Ron, whose story is featured in this month’s newsletter. Your partnership truly is making such a difference in the lives of those who are hurting in our community! Thank you, and God bless you for helping provide our least fortunate neighbors with new hope and healing!

Gratefully,

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President

Dear Friend,

There is a sense of contradiction in the Christmas story. The King of all glory comes to earth in impossibly humble circumstances — a lowly manger, surrounded by animals and hay! While Christmas nativities and carols romanticize the setting (and I love these traditions), there is no doubt that we who are used to our culture today would find the setting shocking in real life.

And yet, the nativity story captures so beautifully God’s heart for society’s downtrodden. Not only is his precious Son born in the manger, but the people invited to celebrate the birth are shepherds, some of the lowest of the low in ancient society.

The life that Jesus went on to live — including his death and resurrection — is the source of hope for mankind, and that’s a hope that is especially meaningful to our guests at this time of year. As they learn about Jesus and his deep compassion for people who are “weary and burdened,” (Matthew 11:28), and as they experience his love, healing and forgiveness … it leads to new life. New life away from the streets, free from shame and brokenness, with bright hope for the future.

I cannot thank you enough for blessing our neighbors in great need through your support. Your compassion helps change lives, as you’ll read in this new issue of Transformed. Nakisha and Dale’s stories are proof of this! The resources you so generously share ensure men, women and children from every background and walk of life receive meals, shelter and the good news of God’s redeeming love through his Son Jesus Christ.

Thank you for sharing His love — during the holidays, and all year long. A very Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones!

Gratefully,

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President

Every day at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission, I am amazed to see the life-changing power of the Gospel as those who are struggling come through our doors looking for a fresh start. And we’ve been doing this long enough to know there are some key factors that contribute to this sort of transformation.

First and foremost is God’s love — people realizing their worth and value in the eyes of God, because He created them in His image. Then, there’s purpose — knowing that God has a purpose for the precious souls who come here seeking refuge and hope.

And still, in order for folks to develop their God-given and purposeful gifts, education is critical.

Here at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission, we believe education is essential in a person’s journey toward transformation. At our K4-12th grade school, Cross Trainers Academy, young scholars like Trinity — whose story is featured in our September newsletter — are receiving a comprehensive education to help them succeed in life and break out of the cycle of poverty.

Education is also a top priority in our short- and long-term recovery programs. As men and women recover from trauma, addiction or other life-controlling hardships, it is faith-fueled education that helps pave the way to a promising new future. (Be sure to read about Lee’s journey from drug addiction to earning his GED in our September newsletter, too!)

Your support is truly changing lives, and I’m so very grateful. Thank you for helping provide struggling men, women and children — like Lee and Trinity —  with a strong foundation for the future!

Gratefully,

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President

Looking back at the many challenges of the past year, I can’t help but think of this encouraging scripture: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4, ESV)

I love James’ perspective and the truth behind his words. They remind me of the life-changing work you help make possible here at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission. Every day, hurting souls come to us in the throes of various trials: hunger, homelessness, addiction and job losses, many due to the pandemic.

Through your compassionate support, you help meet their immediate needs. And for many, support like yours opens the door for total life transformation — providing counseling and care to help them persevere and become physically and spiritually whole.

These are neighbors like Garlund, who is featured on the next page. When he needed a second chance at overcoming addiction, God and His lifesaving grace were there — and so were you, offering Garlund the support he needed to push forward and come out the other side. (Be sure to read his moving story!)

What a blessing it is to partner with you to help people face their personal challenges and find hope in the love of Christ.

As you face your own challenges, I pray you will be encouraged by another passage from the book of James: “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12, ESV)

May God bless and keep you always!

Sincerely,

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President

Dear Friend,

Every day, I have the privilege of seeing how your support is impacting lives here at MRM. It’s not just the hearty meals and welcoming shelter you help provide but the hope you help offer someone who is lost. When struggling souls are treated with dignity and they hear the message that God loves them… then true transformation begins!

You are a partner in that transformation, because your support offers so much more than nourishing meals to struggling single moms and their children. Through parenting and life skills classes, spiritual guidance and other education, they can learn how to rebuild their lives and secure a bright future for their children.

And you are a partner in transformation for the man struggling with homelessness because of job loss, mental illness or substance abuse. Your kindness offers more than just a place to lay his head — by God’s grace, it offers him the opportunity to find wholeness, peace and a fresh start.

And for those who feel lost after experiencing severe trauma, you are a partner in their transformation. Through counseling and care, they are reminded of God’s great love for them, finding healing and hope to replace their brokenness and despair.

So many of the precious men, women and children who come through our doors arrive with dashed hopes and growing fears — but here, they find the love of Jesus, the only source of lasting change.

As you read through this issue of Transformed, please know how grateful we are for the real hope you help provide — and the transformations you’ve helped make possible for people like Justine and Terry.

Through God’s grace, you offer hope to hurting souls — thank you!

Sincerely,

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President