Restored To Be Restorers
Being born in Rwanda during a time of civil war made for a tough upbringing for John Rushemeza. He recalls that at 9 years old, when the conflicts broke out, there was a lot of killing and genocide and his family was forced to flee to Congo, eventually settling in Zambia. While he grew up […]
Restarting On A Better Track
This wasn’t how Emily had envisioned her life. She was stuck in a cycle of moving around with her boyfriend and longed for stability. She was preparing to find a place of her own and restart her life when she discovered she was pregnant. Emily found herself reliant on her boyfriend and his mom for […]
Contagious Joy
Born in the Bronx in 1952, Santiago Milland didn’t have an easy childhood. After his father left when he was 2, he had several step fathers and step siblings. Some of his “father figures” had alcohol problems and were extremely harsh in punishing the kids. At 17, Santiago enlisted in the military. At 18, he […]
From Mess To Ministry
James struggled with alcohol for many years to the point where his wife told him to leave. He bounced from rehabs to halfway houses and hospitals never being able to get beyond temporary improvement. James was on a downward spiral, doing jail time for a DUI and assault charge and then being forcibly evicted. James […]
A Surrendered Life
Growing up in the projects of North Philadelphia, Bill got caught in a grip of addiction that would stay with him into adulthood. Despite his secret drug use, he tried hard to be a ‘good guy’ – being with one lady and always showing up to do his best at work. Over time, he found […]
Running To Responsibility
From the time he was 15 Austin spent a lifetime running from his problems by using drugs and alcohol to self-medicate and escape from conflict and pain. While, as an adult, he would go through periods of time when he would be sober for years on end, Austin would eventually fall off the wagon – […]
Renewed Strength
Gertina had reached the point of exhaustion. Growing up in New York and raising a family in a dangerous area, situations had led her to relocate to Lancaster in hopes of a better life for her children. Instead, her depression worsened and her living conditions became increasingly unstable as she bounced from apartment to apartment. […]
Stepping Up
Constant shifting with COVID-19 has meant our campus is finding new ways to adapt each week. Many of our guests feel the impact of these changes and challenges, but are also finding ways to show their care and love. For Jennifer, that’s meant reaching out past Water Street to those most vulnerable in our community. […]
Reclaiming Joy
In high school, Sharon was one of those teenagers who exuded confidence. She was a daddy’s girl, a cheerleader, and with her family behind her, it seemed like nothing could stand in her way. She joined the military and fell in love with her career, but found something she loved even more when she met […]
Determined To Change
John came to Water Street thinking he would get in, get what he needed, and get out. “My plan at the time was I’ll go, get warm, get some food, get a job, and go back to what I was doing.” Little did he know it would turn into so much more. At a young […]