Dear Friend,

What do men, women and children expect to find when they come to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission? First, they know they’ll find a nutritious meal and safe shelter. Next, many will find an opportunity to rebuild what’s broken in their lives. But, what many don’t expect, and often find in surprising ways, is joy!

 

I remember Samuel, a participant in our New Journey program. He greatly appreciated all the care you helped provide. Every day, he grew more confident and closer to God. Then, on his birthday, we celebrated with a small cake and a card everyone signed. It didn’t take a lot of effort, but it was a very big deal to Samuel. He was 43 years old, and he told us it was the first time anybody had given him a birthday cake. You should’ve seen the smile on his face! (And I’m willing to bet he still has that card.)

 

Whether it’s recovery from addiction, finding permanent housing — or acknowledging a birthday — you give us so much to celebrate here at MRM. The hurting neighbors who come through our doors feel like they matter, often for the first time in years. By the time they graduate from one of our programs, they have found new life and grown in their love for Jesus Christ, much like Trodavous did, who you can read about in this issue of Transformed.

 

There are still many in our community who need food and shelter, support to get back into the workforce, restored relationships with their families and community … and knowledge that they are loved. Through God’s grace and your generosity, they can find all that and joy at MRM!

Dear Friend,

With God, all things are possible. I hold this truth close because Scripture tells us so — and because I see the “impossible” happen every day at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission.

I’m reminded of Ezekiel’s vision in the valley of dry bones. God asked him to speak life into what seemed lifeless, and because of his faith and obedience, the Lord raised a mighty army. What looks impossible to us is never impossible for God.

Since He could bring life from dry bones, and since He could conquer death through the cross, He can — and does — transform lives that the world may disregard. Miracles aren’t just stories from the Bible. By God’s grace, and through your faithful support, they are happening right here, right now at MRM.

You may notice neighbors in our city who are struggling with homelessness or addiction. Their journeys have been difficult, and they carry a heavy burden. But each one is deeply valued, full of potential and never beyond God’s redeeming love.

Like the bones in Ezekiel’s vision, these precious souls are ready for new life. When they experience compassion, nourishment and hear the good news of the Gospel, hope takes root. God’s grace renews them, offering new life — both now and eternally — through Christ’s resurrection. This is the true promise of Easter!

Thank you for being a vital part of this life-changing work and for helping bring hope where it’s needed most. Your kindness makes life transformation possible.

Wishing you a joyful and blessed Easter season,

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min., President

As we’re now a few weeks into the new year, I miss the light the holidays usher in. My mother-in-law actually still has her Christmas tree up. In fact, she leaves it up all year because she loves Christmas so much. Every now and then, she goes into the room to look at it and enjoy a little cheer. It reminds her of the joy of celebrating Jesus’ birth.

 

I understand how she feels, especially at this time of year. The holidays are behind us, the lights and decorations are all down for most of us. The days are short, and the nights are long, and winter is here in full force.

 

We all could use a little warmth and light right now — especially the men, women and children who come to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission for help. Thank you for helping to make this past holiday season a special time of comfort and joy for our neighbors who were hungry, hurting or homeless. You provided compassion when they really needed it!

 

The need is still great as we begin this new year, and we serve our most vulnerable neighbors. I hope they can count on your continued generosity today and in the months ahead. With God’s grace, you can help those who are struggling find shelter in the storms of life and rebuild what’s broken in their lives.

 

Even though Christmas is behind us, we continue to celebrate the arrival of Jesus Christ among us because He is the light of the world — a light that always shines in the hearts where He dwells. God bless you and yours in this new year!

Dr. Patrick H. Vanderburgh, President

There’s a Christmas song that begins, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” For many of us, it is. But it can be a depressing time for men, women and children struggling with hunger and homelessness. When a neighbor in need comes to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission at Christmas time, big holiday meals and presents under the tree are often just a wish or distant memory.

Thanks to you, they can make new memories that are joyful in their own way.

I’ll never forget one family staying in Joy House, our shelter for women and children. Right before Christmas, the kids came down with chickenpox. Of course, we had to quarantine mom and the kids in their room. On Christmas Day, we were still able to provide the family a delicious Christmas dinner and gifts, and in spite of the quarantine, the mom smiled and told staff, “This is the best Christmas I can remember.”

What a great reminder that is for all of us this Christmas season. We might think being in a homeless shelter, quarantined with sick kids, is a disaster. But for this mom, MRM was probably the safest, most peaceful place she’d been in a long time. That peace was God’s good and perfect gift to her right then.

Peace isn’t the only gift our neighbors find at MRM. There’s hope. Many can’t see beyond the next five minutes when they come here, but soon they’re looking five years into a bright future.

And most of all, they hear about the best and most perfect gift God ever gave us, His Son Jesus Christ. You provide a place for hurting neighbors to be transformed by His love and mercy. That’s a gift for all of us, to see and be a part of those stories.

I wish you a very merry Christmas!

Dr. Patrick H. Vanderburgh, President

Dear Friend,

It’s easy to feel thankful when life is going well. But to those facing job loss, addiction, abuse or homelessness, reasons for gratitude can feel hard to come by.

That’s why what happens at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission is so powerful — and it begins with you.

 Your support gives hurting people a place to heal. Your kindness offers them dignity and hope. Your generosity sets them on a journey to a new life.

For many, that journey starts with a warm welcome and a hot meal. A simple meal can mean so much to someone who hasn’t experienced genuine care in a long time. In the midst of their trials, they find something to be thankful for. Many of our program graduates consider that moment of gratitude to be the turning point in their transformation.

And there’s no better time to highlight that moment than the Thanksgiving season.

After nearly 40 Thanksgivings at MRM, I’ve seen countless people come together on this day to celebrate and give thanks, even in the midst of their struggles. I’ve also seen countless lives change in the months following that first meal — a meal you helped provide.

As our hurting neighbors make their way back to stability, thankfulness becomes second nature – and they’re thankful for you. They know your prayers and continued support keep them on a pathway to lasting change.

All of us here at MRM are grateful for you, not just on Thanksgiving, but every day of the year.

Thank you, and may God bless you and your loved ones this season and always.

Dr. Patrick H. Vanderburgh, President  

Dear Friend,

When we started our Christian school, Cross Trainers Academy, in 2006, our mission was to equip at-risk children with the tools needed to succeed in life. We wanted to break cycles of poverty, of homelessness, of addictions, of hopelessness. We wanted to accomplish those things through a Christian education, providing students with academic, social, emotional and spiritual tools they’d need as adults.

That was our mission. Our motive was love. Still is.

We started with 28 students in kindergarten through second grade. Over the years, we’ve expanded to the point that CTA now has nearly 500 students, pre-K through 12th grade — including Skie, whose moving story you can read here.

From the beginning, we’ve aspired to care for the whole student through a holistic approach — involving families to support not only academics, but emotional and spiritual needs, as well. CTA graduates are prepared for the next step — whether college or a vocation. They’re equipped with academic and critical thinking skills they’ll need for a bright future. Most importantly, they’ve learned to trust in the Lord.

The theme of this newsletter is Love in Action, and I can’t think of a better way to put love into action than preparing these young scholars to flourish — in all areas of life.

The Book of James tells us to be “doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22). Whether through basic needs or education, I’m so grateful for how you’ve shown Love in Action to those in need through your generosity, prayers and support. Thank you for your role in transforming lives!

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President

P.S. Another way to share Love in Action is to give toward our Summer Matching Challenge!

Dear Friend,

When men, women and children walk through our doors, they often carry more than the weight of homelessness. Many have lost their sense of purpose, stability and hope. They need more than a meal or a place to sleep — they need a fresh start and a solid foundation for the future.

By God’s grace, struggling souls are able to find that foundation at the Milwaukee Rescue Mission. Through safe shelter, nutritious meals, life-skills training, counseling and Christ-centered guidance, those in need can rebuild their lives. Beyond meeting immediate needs, our programs equip them with the tools to grow, heal and thrive.

Psalm 1 paints a picture of this kind of transformation: “He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.”

This is what we desire for every person who comes to MRM — to find stability, experience God’s love and build a future filled with hope. Take Phil, for example (you’ll read more of his story on page 3). When he arrived, his life was in crisis. But through our New Journey program, he found the strength and support to change. He studied God’s Word, gained practical skills and today, he’s helping others on their own path to renewal.

This kind of life change wouldn’t be possible without you. Every meal, every night of shelter, every moment of guidance and encouragement — it’s all made possible through your compassion and support.

Thank you for being a vital part of this mission. Together, we can help more people find the stability, hope and transformation they so desperately seek.

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President

Dear Friend,

When thinking about Bible passages at Easter time, many typically turn to the resurrection of Jesus. But this Easter, I’m also thinking about another resurrection — when Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, as told in John 11.

Lazarus had already been dead for days when Jesus arrived in Bethany. I love the conversation between Jesus and Martha that takes place before the miracle. Jesus assures her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha thinks Jesus means “in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus could have responded, “No, Martha, I mean today,” but said something else entirely:

“I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Yes, Martha did believe. And you may know the rest of the story: Jesus shouts, “Lazarus, come out.” Wonder of wonders, he does — back from the dead!

Lazarus could be a metaphor for just about anyone who walks through our doors seeking help. On the surface, many of them may seem too deep in their addiction, trauma, illness or hardship to turn things around. But when they come through our doors and learn about Jesus’ love for them, they find hope. Basic needs are met, hearts are comforted and struggling people find new life and fresh starts. They’re like living resurrection stories in themselves.

Our Easter theme centers on three words: Restore. Renew. Rejoice. Christ’s resurrection makes it all possible. And your support provides the means for those transformed lives.

That’s our calling, to point every “Lazarus” we meet to the One who restores and renews.

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President

Dear Friend,

I don’t need to tell you how cold it gets around here in the winter, especially overnight. Bone-chilling, teeth-chattering cold.

Most of us have winter coats and heated homes to ward off the frigid, dangerous temperatures. But what if you didn’t have either? What if you actually had to spend a January night on the streets?

Andy, featured on page 3, had to do that more than once. But he eventually made his way to MRM, where he found those critical yet basic essentials of warm shelter and hot food. Praise God!

Which brings me to the theme of this month’s newsletter: Shelter from the Storm. As a rescue mission, we aspire to be that place of refuge for neighbors in need. We’re a literal refuge for homeless neighbors to get out of the cold — but we’re also a spiritual refuge for souls in need of spiritual help.

I love this story of John Wesley, the 18th Century English preacher. Wesley was struggling with his faith when he went to a meeting at church. The speaker was reading from Romans when Wesley said “[I] felt my heart strangely warmed” as he fully grasped Christ’s gift of grace, and that he was saved from his sins.

Strangely warmed. That’s a good metaphor for the refuge we offer at MRM. For folks who’ve been struggling with things like addiction, poverty, domestic violence and hardship — some for years, even decades — to suddenly be in an environment of nurturing and safety can feel strange. But, through your support, we offer both a warm refuge from the cold, and the warmth of God’s love.

I invite you to help us in that mission by becoming a monthly giver, ensuring our struggling neighbors can find shelter from the storm — and be “strangely warmed” — all year round. Become an MRM Sustainer at milmission.org/sustainer.

I am so grateful for your partnership. God’s warmth and blessings to you!

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President

Dear Friend,

Sometimes I try to imagine what it must’ve been like for the shepherds on that holy night long ago. They were minding their own business (and their sheep) in the fields near Bethlehem, when they had a surprise visitor — “an angel of the Lord,” Luke tells us.

“And the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear” (Luke 2:9, ESV). I would’ve been terrified too! But then the angel delivered the greatest message of all time: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”

The angel told them to go into Bethlehem, where they would find the baby, lying in a manger. A baby who is also a Savior? Their heads must’ve been spinning.

As if that announcement weren’t earth-shaking enough, suddenly a multitude — thousands, perhaps millions — of angels filled the sky and said, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!”

That’s about when my imagination hits its limits. I cannot fathom what that must have been like for those shepherds that night. Fear and joy, all at once! Struggling neighbors who come to the Milwaukee Rescue Mission are familiar with those emotions. They’ve experienced fear through evictions, through domestic abuse, through street life, through hunger and heartache and hopelessness.

But when they come to MRM — all year round, but especially at Christmas — they find joy, even in the midst of their struggles. Because we are all about that “good news of great joy for all people.” That’s the gospel. That’s the Christmas message.

Every day at MRM, people are transformed by that good news. You’ll read about two of them in this newsletter — Jeff on page 3, and Ajaya on page 8. Their inspiring stories are only possible because of your kindness. Thank you!

This Christmas season, I pray that you and your loved ones are blessed with the joy and peace of the Christ child.

Patrick H. Vanderburgh, D.Min.
President