(541) 388-2096

Bringing Tyler Home

Bringing Tyler Home

This October we are raising funds for our Men’s Center where staff and volunteers have been watching lives transform for years. Curt, our executive director, has witnessed immeasurable healing in the lives of guys since the very beginnings of this ministry.

In a recent interview with Curt, he recounts the story of a man named Tyler who entered the program at the Men’s Center a few years back.

Upon his arrival, it became clear that Tyler was ill and did not have long to live. Entering the program, he was desperate for a different life. The community at Shepherd’s House Ministries became just that, a place for Tyler to find healing from addiction and pain, to reconnect with his family, and to find peace before he passed away.

man at shepherds house ministries

In his time with us, Tyler built deep connections with his peers- our residents, staff, and volunteers. These relationships gave him the means to find the healing that would have otherwise been out of reach.

These same friends would be the ones to coordinate a road trip with Tyler back to his mother’s home in California, where he spent his last days before he passed away.

As Curt recalls the story, his emphasis is on how this impacted him personally and the rest of the Shepherd’s House Community.

“I think it really encompasses what we are all about,” he says. Shepherd’s House Ministries is a family. In times of crisis, whether you are coming in for protection from the cold, seeking refuge or healing from addiction, or are a part-time volunteer, we are here to support you.

The men who come through our doors are desperate, in need of shelter, safety, and food. But beyond that, they are desperate to belong.

Think of all the support we have in life to get where you are. Who do you call when you have a difficult decision to make? Who has shown up for you in your time of need? These men come to us without any form of support and have been left to fend for themselves in times of great trauma and pain.

We have made it our mission to address homelessness and addiction first by addressing the deep wounds that have been left on the back burner as these men just try to survive. We do this as a community by building real relationships. It is vulnerable, it is messy, and it is life-changing.

Part of the beauty we see is how the effect of these relationships spreads outside of the lives of our residents and into the lives of our staff and volunteers. When Curt’s family was experiencing a medical emergency, his friends at Shepherd’s House Ministry were there to surround him. For him, this is what it is all about. Just like those who climbed into a van and drove to California with Tyler to reunite him with his mother, our community showed up for Curt with care and compassion during his time of need.

This is a culture of genuine relationships that bears all things together. It is a place where relationships go above and beyond, and people show up for each other. It is this culture that is transforming lives. It is what gives our tangible tools and resources, like reading materials or therapy, their power. It is what sets Shepherd’s House Ministries apart.

Will you partner with us as we grow forward?

 

Partner With Us Today As We Grow Forward

Donate right now and make a lasting impact on the life of someone in your community of Central Oregon. Don’t wait – these men, women, and children are counting on people like you!