Hi, my name is Jesse. I’m here to give witness to how my Lord and Savior redeemed, restored, and strengthened my life through the Merced Rescue Mission.

My life’s purpose is to give hope to those who are struggling and are fighting the same fight I did. My life has taken me on a path through who I was in the past, and what brought me to Merced Rescue Mission. Through the Rescue Mission, I have become the person I am today.

I’m a recovering meth addict who suffered many years of being incarcerated, living that life of that revolving door. At the age of 16, living on my own, then to prison, I had no source of direction. I had no purpose in life, and I didn’t understand why I was put on this earth.

In 2015, I came to the Mission and reached out for help. I needed hope, and my life was falling apart. My family and children wanted nothing to do with me because of my addiction. I went through the Mission program many times. The people at the Mission showed me so much grace and didn’t give up on me. In 2019, I finally surrendered my will to the Lord and committed myself to the Hope for Men program. After nine months, I completed the program, and I was able to put what I learned from the Mission into action. I now have my driver’s license at the age of 50! I did not have it until now. The Mission and Restore Merced have shown me a good work ethic. I now have a full-time career as a maintenance engineer at a nice hotel. By putting God first in my life, God has made all things possible. I have a purpose in life, and I am doing His will in my life. My life has been restored through Jesus Christ. There is HOPE and freedom in Jesus. God bless you!