Dan's Story
Dan was a married man that had a fairly normal life by society’s standards. His life took a downhill turn when he went through a messy divorce. This devastated him and intensified his struggle with severe depression and bipolar disorder. On top of everything else his family rejected him. He let everything go—his house, vehicle, everything—and became homeless. Dan turned to dancing in night clubs to find happiness. This sometimes led to late nights that kept him from getting into a homeless shelter. Having nowhere else to turn, he spent these nights on the streets. Through a homeless discipleship program, He began to turn his life around. Eventually, he began volunteering at the program which gave him the motivation and purpose to get out of bed in the morning. Through continued involvement he was provided affordable housing that got him off the street. He now works at that same homeless center as an employee, giving hope to and meeting the needs of other homeless individuals. Dan’s story is encouraging because it shows that mental illness and poor decisions don’t have to lead to a life of perpetual homelessness. Homeless ministries really do provide hope and opportunities for those that are willing to make use of them.