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Life seemed to start out normal for Rick Selfridge. He had two parents who loved him and five siblings who were close to each other. “The only problem I had was the fact that in grade school I started to stammer, and kids can be cruel. It really hurt; but to compensate, I started to tell jokes, kind of self deprecating humor. I didn't’t really start drinking until 18 years old.”

He goes on, “Things didn't’t get bad until my mid 20s; and then the drugs started up. I was very functional for several years, but the drinking and drugging just continued over the next few decades. During that time, I was also very promiscuous, going from relationship to relationship. Finally, I hit bottom when I was evicted from my apartment in May of 2005.”

“I ran into an old acquaintance and spent the next week in a crack house. By the 5th of June 2005 , I was thrown out of that situation and spent the night on a park bench at Rodney Square . I started staying here (Sunday Breakfast Mission) the next day in the overnight shelter. On the 11th, at the mission, I accepted Jesus Christ. Then, about four or five days later, I came into the program.”

“In the first month or so, I went to Henrietta Johnson for my physical. I was praying very much about my promiscuity because in 1980 I was diagnosed with hepatitis B and in 1986 with syphilis. When the nurse came back with the tests, she told me that my kidneys were clean; and the tests came back non reactive. I was clean from everything. It was like God said, ‘I cleaned you up; now what are you going to do?’”

Since then, so much has happened for Rick. He graduated from the discipleship program this past May. He has started college and hopes to one day do rescue mission work. Rick has been reunited with his family. He states, “My life is full of hope now, and the mission has been there every step of the way. I am thankful to God that He led me to this place and to His people.”

When asked if there was anything else he wanted to add, Rick suggested, “People really don’t realize how much good is going on here. A few weeks ago, I was talking to a guy who spent just one night. He called back and said that a night in the shelter opened his eyes; he is now on his feet. The point is this mission is here for people. It really is an open door to a new life.”

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