Wheeler Mission's Blog

Do you usually fit a camping trip or two into your summer plans?

I want to invite you to experience your most unusual camping experience yet – The Camp Out to Stamp Out Homelessness. It will take place June 18 & 19 at the American Legion Mall in Downtown Indianapolis. This will be a family friendly event that will benefit Wheeler Mission Ministries.

Contact us for printed materials that will help you promote this event at your church. You can read more about it at our website, www.wmm.org.

Let’s go camping together!

Rick

Below is a message from one of our staff members concerning the death of our dear friend and co-worker, Mike Druding. We appreciate your prayers as the Wheeler Family experiences such a deep loss.
Rick

The Wheeler Mission family recently lost Mike Druding as he and his father, Vincent went to be with the Lord after a carbon monoxide accident at Vincent’s home. Mike, a 2007 Hebron Program graduate was there doing what Mike does, gratefully serving his family after the recent death of his mother left much to do. Mike was 49.
If you knew Mike, you were drawn in by his joy and passion for Jesus, and you were affected by his contagious smile. Mike had been mercifully saved from a lifestyle of addiction that had him alone and hopeless, on the brink of death. He had spent the last 3 years of his life serving and sharing that hope with men that desperately needed to hear it.
Ecclesiastes 7 says that “A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.” Mike’s name was good, known for his infectious smile. The scene at the funeral was not one of despair, but instead was one of celebration of a life that was rich. Not because of an empty accumulation of wealth, but was represented by the multitude of men (brothers) that stood up in the congregation as lives that Mike had impacted. The scene was breathtaking.
When you lose a friend early in their life, you are reminded at how temporary our time here is. It’s too short to waste chasing things the world has to offer. Mike will be known for the goodness that he did and the gratitude that he spread once Jesus saved him. He will be missed, but there is no mistaken that he had completed the work that God was doing with him and is now experiencing what we as Christians long for.
You can see the Mike Druding Tribute Video at www.facebook.com/hebronalumni .

Brian Crispin

A young mom in her 20s stood before the group, crying as she told what it was like growing up with an alcoholic mother. She shared the deep loneliness and insecurity she experienced as a child when it was time to go to bed and she would ask where her mom was – her dad could only say “I don’t know if she’s coming home tonight.”

Such is the experience of children of alcoholics.

But I have seen what can happen when the parent makes the decision to work through a recovery program and live a life of sobriety. In this case, the alcoholic mother in this story went through Wheeler’s addiction recovery program and has now been sober for more than two years. As part of the program, clients are urged to reconcile and make amends with family, friends, and co-workers.

This mother and daughter have had several honest conversations, shed many tears together, and worked through different areas where forgiveness needed to take place. They have truly reconciled. Now, they talk on the phone several times a week, and spend time together regularly. Yes, there are still painful memories, but the positive effect of forgiveness has worked deeply in their hearts.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.” 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 NIV

Rick

Labels: forgiveness

For the past 11 years, Rob Bowman served as Head Cook and Food Service Manager at Wheeler’s Delaware site. From that kitchen, Rob served more than 1,000,000 meals in his tenure.
A little more than 140 days ago, Rob was diagnosed with Renal Cell Carcinoma. He fought his battle with this disease with his typical gusto. His love for the Lord, his wife Amy, and his son Ethan shined through even in his most difficult days. On February 24, he stepped into heaven - leaving behind his agonizing condition and into the arms of his Savior. He was 42 years of age.
You could describe Rob in many ways. He was a US Army veteran. He was a photographer, fisherman, and Major League Baseball fan. Rob was a hard worker. He was a man of deep faith. His last 140 days on this earth revealed a deep love and concern for his family and he spoke often with friends to make sure Amy and Ethan would be cared for when he could not care for them himself.
Please join me and Rob’s ‘Wheeler Family’ as we continue to pray for Rob’s wife, son, mom, dad, and siblings. We will miss him dearly.

Rick