Edwin was born in Shreveport and moved to Texas as a child. Life was never easy for him. He carried intense anger and found himself struggling with an undiagnosed mental illness.

Though Edwin was strong physically and skilled in construction, he found himself lost in addiction and homelessness. Edwin was on the streets both in Texas and Shreveport.

Desperate for change, Edwin came to the Mission. He first took it for granted and left, but he couldn’t fight the feeling that he needed to return. “Being homeless put me in a state of mind I needed. I always needed God, but I was blind. My addiction blinded me.”

When Edwin returned, his life changed forever. “The Mission saw something in me that I didn’t see. Once I felt God in my life, I knew that I do have a purpose.”

For the first time, Edwin felt peace. He surrendered to Christ and allowed God to heal the deep wounds of his past. “Love is one of the things God equips us with, to show love, to have companionship and fellowship. It wasn’t easy, but I put my faith in God and started trusting him.”

Each morning now brings new purpose. “Every day is an opportunity to grow, reflect, and embrace what God has in store for me.” Through the New Beginnings Program, Edwin found hope and a renewed relationship with Christ. “I never felt the kind of caring, nurturing, and love that the Mission gave me. They gave it to me freely.”

Determined to walk in faith, Edwin holds himself to a higher standard. “I want to imitate my Father, my Lord and Savior.” Edwin no longer carries the weight of his past but embraces God’s amazing grace. “God gave me a strength I never knew I had.”

Edwin graduated from the New Beginnings Program and is now a Ministry Intern, helping men just like himself find God, find purpose, and find life. “The Mission gave me a great opportunity to share God’s word and impact a world that needs it so much.”

Edwin’s journey is a testament to God’s power to transform lives. “Whatever God has planned for me, I can’t even fathom, I’m going to stay on the narrow road.”