Tome is so grateful
you have given him new life!

Tome suffered daily to give his three boys a good life.

For 28 years, he’d been trying to repair his failing marriage with the boys’ mother… to no avail. “I stayed in that relationship because I was scared that if I left, she’d meet some man who’d hurt my sons,” Tome says.

When his youngest went to college, Tome left the relationship… but his wife took most of his money, and he lost all stability he’d had.

For four years, he was homeless. He struggled to survive on the beaches of Torrance, sleeping under trees, taking showers outside and not knowing where his next meal would come from. “I slowly slipped into a deep depression.”

“I feel like my life has value now… The Mission literally saved my life.”

When Tome lost touch with his children, he lost his will to live. One day, he stood on the cliffs overlooking the ocean, about to jump, when his phone rang.

“My friend called – she’d talked to Long Beach Rescue Mission,” Tome says. “I felt the Holy Spirit… and knew that was the place where I should be.”

Tome was grateful for the hot shower, plentiful food and warm welcome he found his first night at the Mission. Staying in our shelter, he began to take part in our chapel services and classes. “Being in a Christian-based program has given me more hope than I ever had.”

Today, Tome has begun to reconnect with his children. As a recent graduate of our program, he’s taking classes toward his GED, looking for work and leading worship for our chapel.

“I really want God’s stamp of approval on everything I do,” Tome says. “I’m just praying and asking for His direction.”

Tome is thankful for the kindness and compassion of loving neighbors like you – and how you have given him peace and hope for the future. “I feel like my life has value now… The Mission literally saved my life.”

To read the rest of this issue of Rescue Review, click here.