Endurance: LifeChange addiction recovery graduates

On Saturday, January 28, Union Gospel Mission gathered to honor four graduates of the LifeChange addiction recovery community.  Our graduates, Chance, Linda, Kim and Leah (pictured) spent four years learning not only to overcome their addictions, but also to transform their lives and heal from past hurts.  All of the graduates endured trauma from past abuse, bouts of homelessness, and self-destructive addiction.  Each graduate worked very hard at their recovery and discovering the new person they could become.

At the graduation celebration it was evident that not only the graduates had experienced healing, but their families had as well.  The parents of the graduates had restored relationships with their adult children.  Leah's  children, ranging in age from mid-20s to age 12,  sat at the table with Leah, proud of their mother's accomplishment.  Linda's adult daughter traveled across the country to attend Linda's graduation.

It was truly a heartwarming evening to see how far these graduates had come!