Changed Lives

For Cole, the choice was a no-brainer.

He could go back to jail and lose his job. Or he could go to Crossroads Mission Avenue and keep working. He didn’t have to think about it: Crossroads, of course.

Cole was fortunate to even be given a choice. He’d been in trouble with the law before, and spent two years in jail on multiple charges. When he was released in April 2020, he was on probation and warned to stay out of trouble. But a few months later, he was busted for driving while intoxicated. That’s when his probation officer gave him the choice.

On being given a second chance, Cole says, “I was really thankful.” Crossroads is all about second chances. We’re a place of grace. “They’re not judgmental,” says Cole, 27. “They don’t look down on you.”

Cole, a longtime alcoholic, hasn’t had a drink since that DUI. He credits Crossroads, and God, with his transformation. “I’m a completely different person,” he says. “I love being sober, and I have no desire to use again. I don’t need alcohol or drugs to set off good feelings in my brain. I’m really high on life right now.”

Cole, who is Native American, adhered to his culture’s spiritual beliefs for most of his life. But at Crossroads, he discovered Christianity, and has fully embraced it. “I’ve had a spiritual awakening,” he says. “Now I believe in the Holy Trinity — God, Son and Holy Spirit.” He’s motivated to stay sober. He has a good job in the manufacturing business, and he’s looking forward to getting his own place again.

“I’m just going to keep working hard,” he says. “Thanks to Crossroads, I’ve got a new view of life.”

Thank you for all you do to help people turn their lives around.

Mohamed knows what it’s like to be homeless with no place to go. After all, he was born that way.

He was born in a refugee camp in Kenya, where his family had landed after fleeing war-torn Somalia, where several families members had been killed. When Mohamed was about a year old, his family came to the United States, seeking safety and opportunity.

Mohamed’s father deserted the family almost right away, leaving the little boy to grow up without a dad. “I never really knew him,” Mohamed says. “I had no guidance, no role model.”

As Mohamed grew into his teens, he started getting into mischief and minor trouble. By the time he was 17, he was into drugs and frequent brushes with the law. At 20, he was convicted for theft and failure to appear in court, and sentenced to two years in prison.

When he was released early this year, once more he was like a refugee with no place to go … till someone pointed him to Crossroads.

“I came here with nothing but the clothes on my back,” Mohamed says. “But once I got here, they were a big help.”

In addition to providing food, shelter and clothes, the Mission helped Mohamed land a job as a butcher at the JBS Meat Plant in Grand Island.

Mohamed says without Crossroads, “I probably would’ve died, or went back to prison. I’m definitely on the right path now.”

Thank you for helping people who are lost find the right path!

Rolland’s father was murdered when he was three years old, and that memory haunted him throughout his childhood.

He rebelled as a teen, and went to prison at 17 on a breaking-and-entering charge. When he was released six years later, Rolland managed to turn his life around — working as an electrician, getting married and even having kids.

“Everything was good until my little brother died,” he says. Rolland was 43 when a heart attack took his brother’s life. Shortly after, his mother and his grandparents died as well. “And then I just fell off the deep end. I really lost my mind,” he recalls.

The next decade was a blur of drinking and drugs until Rolland ended up living under a bridge for three years. One day, seeing his plight, a woman gave him $20 and a book of daily devotions.

“I read the passage for that day,” Rolland says. “And it said don’t let go of Jesus’ hand.”

Rolland didn’t let go, and he eventually ended up at Crossroads, where he’s turning things around. “I’m really grateful for Crossroads,” he says. “I know Jesus led me here, and he’s going to help me through.”

You can help people like Rolland find a new life!

Virginia came to Crossroads after multiple auto accidents left her unable to work.  Therapies, surgeries and Doctor visits quickly took her savings, and she found herself homeless.  “I may have wound up on the streets, and I may well have been dead by this time.  So I can’t thank Crossroads enough for being the blessing that I needed!”, shares Virginia.  She continues, “If you need them, they are here!  If you’re willing to do the program, it works!”  As she makes plans for her future, Virginia knows that Crossroads will walk with her every step of the way!

When it rains, it pours. Just ask Carmon. She was living in a basement apartment when the Great Flood of 2019 arrived. The waters rushed in, and she lost everything.

She found another place, but her hours at work were being cut, and it became cost prohibitive. She left that behind and moved into an extended-stay hotel, but it was infested with bedbugs.

Then the pandemic hit, and a couple of her adult children lost their jobs. Carmon depleted all of her savings trying to help them stay afloat. Out of money and options, Carmon turned to Crossroads for help.

“At first I was like, Why am I here?,” she says. “I felt like I had failed. I couldn’t imagine what I had done to deserve this, because I was trying to do the right things.” But life had hit hard, and Carmon was grateful to have a safe place to land.

“The staff here is amazing and so supportive,” she says. “And I know The Man Upstairs is going to take care of me. I know that. I’m just trying to learn to turn it all over to him, which is hard for me, because I’m one of those control people.”

Carmon was about to lose control of one more thing: Her company eliminated her job last summer, while she was at the Mission. But it wasn’t long before God provided her with a new job, even closer to home.

She’s renting one of the reduced-rate apartments at Crossroads until she can save up some money, buy a car and get back out on her own again. Till then, she’s thankful for the Mission.

“I’m excited about the future,” she says. “I’m glad Crossroads is here.”

She’s glad for the support of friends like you, too. Thank you for being there!

It was the day after Thanksgiving. And Kim, her longtime partner, Travis, and their 12-year-old grandson, Tegan, had no place to go. They had lost their housing after a conflict with another family member, and now, with winter fast approaching, they needed a place. They worried about having to sleep in their car.

Fortunately, thanks to your support, it didn’t come to that. They came to Crossroad Mission Avenue and got the help – and the housing – they needed. Travis stayed in the men’s part of the facility, and Kim and Tegan stayed in the women’s/family section, sharing a room with bunk beds. (Tegan more than happily sleeps in the top bunk!)

In a move from another state, Kim had lost her Medicaid, SNAP benefits and assistance for Tegan. Crossroads staff helped her get it all back.

But now there was another problem: Finances were tight, and Christmas was just around the corner. Twelve-year-old boys don’t want to be disappointed at the most wonderful time of year.

Tegan wasn’t disappointed! Crossroads’ Giving Tree program made sure of that. He received a football, basketball, soccer ball, jeans and shirts as gifts. He was pretty thrilled about that. Kim was too. “Crossroads has been a blessing to our family,” she says. “They’re kind people.”

Kim and her family recently moved into their own independent housing. Thank you for helping them land on their feet!

This Thanksgiving, Alayna is grateful for friends like you who made it possible for her to land on her feet while at Crossroads.

A little over a year ago, her life started unraveling. She was a single mom trying to balance multiple jobs while also pursuing a nursing degree. Things got so overwhelming that she turned to meth to help her cope, and to make it through the day.

“Everything spiraled out of control relatively fast,” Alayna says. “My life was out of control.”

A possession charge landed her in jail for two weeks. Then the drug court program sent her to Crossroads to continue her rehab.

“I had hit rock bottom, and this was a ground zero moment,” she says. “But I knew I needed to do something. I had to completely surrender to the program, and to God. Coming here to Crossroads was all part of a divine intervention.”

Alayna says the love, support and encouragement from the Crossroads team helped her find hope and healing. She ended up working full time in one of our thrift stores, and is now that store’s manager.

“The thrift store has helped me be in a position to turn my life around,” she says. “I’ve regained the manageability that I had lost so quickly.”

During her almost yearlong stay at Crossroads, Alayna’s mother cared for her three children. She has since moved out of the shelter and into her own place, reunited with her boys, ages 10, 14 and 15.

“My oldest one told me that he couldn’t be more proud of me,” Alayna says. “He said he’s glad he can have somebody like me to look up to. That made me cry like a baby!”

We couldn’t be more proud of the way you help men, women and families find a fresh start. Thank you!

Danny spent a lot of time in his ’84 Dodge pickup truck.  He loved that truck, and practically lived in it.  And he almost died in it – twice.

He slept in the truck once when temperatures hit a record 30-below zero – more than cold enough to kill a man – and yet he somehow survived.

Another time, he had a massive heart attack in the truck, an attack so severe he turned blue and stopped breathing several times.

By divine providence, Danny just happened to be right outside Crossroads Mission Avenue when his heart failed.  Someone saw him slumped forward over the steering wheel, ran inside and yelled, “Call 9-1-1!”

Daniel Buller, the executive director at the Mission, ran outside, round Danny lying on the ground and started CPR….and kept it up till the ambulance arrived.  Paramedics told Buller that he had certainly saved Danny’s life.

Danny, who had a long battle with intermittent homelessness and has been in and out of Crossroads for years, was grateful for the Mission’s unconditional love and support despite his ongoing struggles.

After every setback, he kept returning to Crossroads, “because I think there’s some reason I’m supposed to be here,” he said.  “I feel God has something more for me, and it’s here at Crossroads.”

Danny was saving his money to someday buy a trailer and drive across America.

“But,” he said with a laugh, “I think maybe I ought to get a newer truck.”

In the spring of 2021, we received the sad news that Danny had passed away.  We continue to share his story to honor his life and to encourage others.

LESSONS from a homeless shelter

This is what I learned:

I was way more judgmental and opinionated than I ever thought about the homeless population. I didn’t have near the grace I thought I had either. It’s easy to love the lovable but that isn’t what Christ called us to do. It was really easy to give pat answers and walk out the door.Then I got to know “those” people.  

I learned that our country’s mental health system is very broken. Many families cannot care for people struggling with their mental health, people forget to take medicine, can’t afford medicine and often need to be reminded to take care of themselves.

I learned it really is next to impossible to support a family on minimum wage. Your one and only car breaks down. You choose, do you pay rent or pay to fix your car so you can get to your job?

I learned that many older women who stayed at home to raise children and care for a home are tired and defeated when divorce happens . Starting all over is very hard.

I learned that hard working men’s bodies have broken down and they can’t carry shingles, pour concrete or do the hard stuff anymore. So who hires them? 

I’ve learned that our veterans are treated poorly in this country and so many are homeless not getting the services they need and deserve.

I learned if you can’t read very well, don’t know how to operate a computer it’s hard to apply for a job.

I learned some homeless people have college degrees.

I’ve learned illiteracy still exists in America.

I learned that if you don’t have a car, phone, nice clothes, a decent haircut, teeth or the money to purchase those you aren’t hired as quickly.

I learned that if you have served your time in jail, it’s hard to put down references and job skills.

I’ve learned that many, many children have come from severely emotionally, physically and sexually abusive homes and have grown up to be very broken adults.

I’ve learned there are way more single mothers trying to raise children on their own than I ever imagined.

I’ve learned that many women have stayed in abusive relationships way too long.

I’ve learned that people where English is not their first language have a difficult time getting a legal job.

I learned that to get about any job you need at least your GED. It’s hard to go back to school at any age. 

I learned alcohol and drug addictions don’t care who they destroy.

I learned there are adults who have never learned to drive.

I learned there are many grandparents raising their grandchildren.

I learned many people have absolutely no support system , healthy friends or family to walk along side of them.

I’ve learned many people have not heard the gospel, never been to church or opened a Bible.

I’ve learned many people have some really screwed up ideas who God is.

I’ve learned many people need someone to care.

I’ve learned people need a purpose and most feel like they have none.

I’ve learned to be the hands and feet of Jesus you get out of your comfort zone.

I’ve learned loving like Christ is and should be a sacrifice.

I’ve learned homelessness does not discriminate.

Kellie K Kreutz