I was going to do it. I wrote a note to my ex-wife. The rope was in place. I was ready to end my life. I had been depressed for months. My wife and I had been married for 28 years. We had our ups and downs over the years, but I thought we loved each other. We raised a family together. We supported each other through a lot of tough times. But that month, I got into an altercation with someone. No one got hurt, but I had to go to jail. Two days after Christmas, I got papers that she was divorcing me.
I wanted to go to counseling, but she didn’t. While I was in jail, she got rid of everything I owned—my driver’s license, birth certificate, clothes, everything. I left jail on Valentine’s Day—the same day the divorce went into effect. All I had were the clothes on my back. I didn’t know how to start over from scratch. I tried to think of some reason NOT to kill myself. I couldn’t think of anything. As I stood there with the rope, for some reason I started praying. I hadn’t prayed in years, but suddenly I remembered someone in jail telling me about Kokomo Rescue Mission. I figured I should at least give it a try to see what they could do.
All I can say is, Kokomo Rescue Mission changed my life. They helped me replace my Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid cards. I opened a new bank account. They provided me with clothing, food, and shelter. They put me to work in the kitchen, washing dishes. But mostly, they gave me something new to live for again. My self-esteem got better. Then my faith in God began to grow, and I even got baptized. I could have been dead. But instead I’m alive in Christ. Thank you for renewing my hope, giving me a second chance, and for saving my life.