12 Oct Carmine has hope this Christmas thanks to you!
When Carmine started partying with friends as a teenager, he never expected to develop an obsession that would take over his life. He had had a wonderful childhood centered around family and friends – but when he started using drugs, everything else fell to the wayside.
As time went on, he tried his best to hide the truth from the people around him, but he could only pretend for so long: “Eventually, everyone saw what they were afraid was happening all those years – that I was lost in sin and drug use. Addiction consumed me, to the point where I was separated from everyone I loved. Drugs were the driving force that got me up every morning.”
For 37 years, Carmine watched himself become a more selfish, dishonest person. “I was an example of the power addiction can have over your mind and your whole being,” he says. “I always knew I needed help, and I always knew what I was doing was wrong – but I loved the thrill of the chase and getting away with it, as crazy as that sounds.”
Though he struggled for decades, it only took an instant to finally hit rock bottom: removed from his home and left in the streets with nowhere else to turn.
“I went from shelter to homelessness in a matter of minutes and ended up living on the streets for a year and a half,” he says. “That wasn’t easy – I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. It’s not how anybody should have to live. But I was still in addiction, and that’s what kept me homeless. I was very lost. I still thought drugs were going to answer my problems.”
In his search for a place to stay, Carmine came across the Market Street Mission. He walked through our doors looking for a hot meal and a place to sleep. He wasn’t yet ready to change his life, but he did find a place where he felt safe.
“I found refuge at the Mission,” he says. “They helped me keep my chin up. I felt a lot of love in that building, right from the beginning.”
For 18 months Carmine would occasionally drop in for food and shelter at the Mission. Anytime he slept here overnight, he chose to stay for our chapel service the next morning – and seeds were starting to take root in his heart.
One day when he was out on the street, he got arrested for trespassing. Until this point, drugs had been a means of escaping reality – but that day, he came face-to-face with the truth that he was powerless over his addiction. It was then he decided to commit to changing.
When he came back to our doors after that, it wasn’t just for meals and shelter: it was for recovery and transformation.
In our Life Change Addiction Recovery Program, Carmine began to thrive. Over time he grew through counseling and Bible studies, and noticed he was developing more patience, compassion, and the desire to help others.
That desire continued to grow, and when he graduated from our program, he was offered a position to serve as a Mission Intern, where he could care for people struggling like he once was.
“I’m very happy I became an intern here because it’s strengthened my faith and my love for others,” he explains. “I’m surrounded by caring brothers in Christ, and we get to help people all day.”
He’s even had the chance to share his story with some of the men he knew from his days of homelessness and addiction: “I hope I can be an example that change is possible,” he says.
This holiday season, Carmine is full of gratitude for how your compassion changed his life. “I’ll never forget all the people involved in my recovery through the Market Street Mission. The love and support of our donors, volunteers, and staff have brought me to where I am today.”
Along with his internship, he recently took a course to become a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist. He also got baptized by Antonio, our Facilities Director!
“I’m blessed to be sober today, and I’m looking forward to tomorrow,” he says. “I believe my walk with Christ will be best served in helping others, and I pray that He opens a door in the field of peer recovery.”
Thanks to your prayers and support, Carmine has new hope for the future and a community walking this path forward with him. And for the first time in a long time, he’s proud of the person he is becoming.
“In the beginning, I came for a meal and a place to rest my head. Little did I know that these people would become my family in Christ. I am grateful and blessed that I’m no longer who I was – I am now who God intended me to be.”
To read the rest of this issue of Market Street Mission Messenger, click here.
Help other people like Carmine…
Carmine’s story of hope and healing is inspiring. Our long-term recovery program exists to help other men find healing. Will you provide this help to others?