Growing up in Honduras, Franklyn and his family endured great poverty and hardship.
So, after he graduated from high school, Franklyn immigrated to the United States, determined to help his family. For 10 years, he did well, working as a waiter. But in 2016, during a 12-hour shift, he felt exhausted. “I was so tired,” Franklyn recalls. “I asked a coworker if he had a Monster or a Red Bull. He said, ‘I have something better than that.’” The “something better” was meth. “It was OK, at first,” Franklyn says. “I could work a lot and not get tired.
“That’s when I prayed, ‘God, I need to change my life. Please help me!‘”
I thought everything was good. But then I started messing up. I was never in a good mood and was always arguing with my manager. I grew more paranoid and thought everyone was against me, and I started losing friends and family.”
In 2020, he finally quit his job and ended up homeless on the streets for two months. One day, someone stabbed him and he ended up in the hospital for 10 days. But that was the turning point.
“That’s when I prayed, ‘God, I need to change my life. Please help me!‘”
God answered his prayer when someone told him about Union Rescue Mission. After his release from the hospital, he came straight to URM.
“This place is such a blessing,” Franklyn says. “Whenever I need to talk about something, my chaplain is always there. I also went to classes three times a day and learned more about God, and I got counseling through the Pepperdine Mental Health Clinic. It really helped a lot.”
Over the next several months, Franklyn’s faith in Jesus Christ grew. “I realized that, without God, I am nobody,” he says. “He is always there for me.
Today, Franklyn is slowly regaining the trust of his family. “They always tell me, ‘I see something different in your eyes and in your life,’” he says. “I just say it’s all because of God.”
Franklyn is looking forward to graduating from the Christian Men’s Discipleship program next month. “I have my hope in God that I will do better and better in my life,” he says. He also wants to pass this message on to caring donors like you: “The best thing I could say is to thank you for all you’ve done. You changed my life.
This winter, thousands of men, women, children, and families experiencing homelessness all over Los Angeles will curl up at night to sleep in parks, back alleys, cars, on city streets, and under bridges.
Their lives are more than miserable. Often their health and even their very lives are at stake. Those who are most sick and marginalized have no reserve and no ability to fight infections. Many suffer from severe respiratory infections and complicated skin infections.
More people experiencing homelessness die of cold weather conditions in L.A. vs. New York.
The most common weather-related illnesses facing people experiencing homelessness include:
1. Upper respiratory infections;
2. Influenza, which causes the greatest number of deaths each year. Most vulnerable are children, the elderly, and patients with certain medical conditions;
3. Strep throat and pneumonia
“Some nights it got so cold and damp I thought I’d freeze to death. Some guys I knew did.” —Ben
“I lived in the streets for over a year, but I still remember the worst day. The temperature dropped and it started pouring rain, and I had nowhere to go. I ended up so wet and cold, it felt like my bones were freezing. I huddled against a wall and felt like my life had been reduced to nothing. I didn’t even feel human anymore.” —Todd
Have you ever dreamed of making a radical impact for the Kingdom of God? To make a difference in the world? You can!
Join our URM team to share the hope and compassion of Christ with those experiencing homelessness at Union Rescue Mission, Hope Gardens, and Angeles House. Use your gifts to help people devastated by homelessness find their way home. We have many positions currently open. Learn more or apply today at urm.org/careers
As painful as 2022 was, especially for people falling into homelessness, I believe 2023 will be far worse—especially for families. Inflation, rising prices for food and housing, and a critical lack of affordable housing in Los Angeles means we’re now providing safe shelter for nearly 200 families… including 400 kids.
Every one of our facilities—Union Rescue Mission, Hope Gardens, and Angeles House—are at capacity, and more come every day.
To make matters worse, individuals and families experiencing homelessness on the streets must now cope with winter weather. When our weather drops to 40 degrees (or lower) and it’s raining, that’s a recipe for hypothermia, even here in Los Angeles.
It’s no wonder that homelessness often leads to early death, because of all the afflictions they face.
It’s an overwhelming situation, but I know that caring, generous people will step up to help like never before. You’ve had a profound impact on the men, women, children, and families we serve, and I have faith the Lord will use you again.
We may be at capacity, but with your help, we will always invite people in from the cold… and we will never turn away a family who needs our help. May God bless you
Blessings,Rev. Andy Bales, President and CEO
