Growing up, Wences was always told that he was a troublemaker and just “too much.” He began to believe that he would always be a problem child. He lost all hope at a young age.
Living in a dysfunctional home with an abusive father, Wences found himself becoming violent and angry. “I felt like I couldn’t trust anybody,” he says.
At 13, he got mixed up in gangs, looking for a sense of belonging. This path would lead to a drug overdose, time behind bars, homelessness, and a near-death experience.
Little did he know that God was going to use YOUR generosity to change his life and make all things new.
When gang violence led to Wences serving a 12-year prison sentence, he desperately wanted to change. Afterward, his family helped him get sober, but he quickly returned to his old ways. He needed more help, more than just sobriety, to become a different kind of man.
Soon after leaving rehab, Wences rejoined his old gang and was seriously injured by a gunshot wound. But it was only when drugs nearly took his life that he realized a change had to happen on the inside.
“I was in the middle of an overdose when I looked up and saw an angel coming toward me.” Wences woke up in a hospital, where he says, “I started crying like a child for my father. The hardcore gang member disappeared.”
Wences took a chance and reached out to his father for help, who was willing to take him to another rehab center.
But he knew he would need more support and teaching to change his life, and it was time to pursue God.
Because of your incredible generosity, Wences was able to come to the Rescue Mission and find true transformation.
Through trauma therapy, spiritual discipleship, education, workforce training, and a trustworthy support system, YOU helped him overcome addiction, anger, and the unforgiveness he once felt.
Now sober and looking toward his future, Wences is reconnecting with his family and has confidence that he’s never had before. He is becoming a man who cares about others and is ready to do his part as a responsible citizen in our community.
Your partnership is providing a place for Wences and so many others to rebuild their lives into a beautiful testimony of transformation.
Thank you for caring for our neighbors in need and for being a part of this important work!