Dear Friends,
You can never underestimate the power of a positive relationship. At Fort Collins Rescue Mission and Harvest Farm, we are all about relationships. We provide more than a meal—more than a warm bed and a place to stay. Because of our love for Jesus and for the people who come to us for help, we reach out to the guests in our shelters and programs and try to develop relationships with them. We ask them to trust us, so that they can take that first really hard step toward making a change.
Not everyone has the courage to move forward, but so many do. Stories like Eric’s in this month’s newsletter keep us going. Seeing a man get his life back, overcome addiction and restore his relationship with his son inspires us to keep on trying.
In these pandemic times, I am sure that you have found, as I have, that relationships have been harder to hang on to. Many of us have been away from family and friends and felt the loneliness of this time. Many of us have lost family and friends to the virus. These feelings we have of loneliness and despair are not unlike what our guests feel. They have needed us more than ever to keep our heads up and continue to take one step after another as we climb this mountain that is the pandemic.
No matter how difficult, we have continued to try and make a difference in people’s lives. We have kept people safe and alive. We have prayed with them. We have tried to share a little bit of ourselves and a whole lot of Jesus with all who come to us for help. This relationship with Jesus is the real deal.
What is one way I know this? Because I see the love of Jesus played out every day in the actions of our staff and volunteers as they unselfishly serve and seek to develop relationships with the guests and participants in our programs. The Mission believes that Jesus rose from the dead on Resurrection Sunday, having died for all of us. He is alive today for us to have a relationship with. This is the most important, life-changing relationship ever.
Happy Easter! I hope you can come volunteer with us soon and see God at work. We covet not only your financial support, but your prayers as well.
Brad Meuli has been President/CEO at the Mission since 2001. Brad joined the Mission after a 17-year career in banking. Previous to his staff position he served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors. Read his full bio.
This post is part of April’s Changing Lives Newsletter. In this special Easter edition, The Time to Heal, you’ll read about a current Mission staff member and NLP graduate, Eric, whose biggest motivation to overcome a 30-year battle with alcoholism was his son, Christian.
