CRM on Facebook

Charlotte Rescue Mission now has its own Facebook page. Check us out and become a fan to help spread the word about the life changing work we do.

We have videos and pictures and more to come.

Doves Nest CCD Dedication

Dove's Nest will be holding the dedication of the re-opening of the "Continuing Care Division" on Sunday April 20 at 11:45 AM. The location is:

St. John's Baptist Church
300 Hawthorne Ln
Charlotte, NC

Everyone is welcome to attend.

Friends of the Friendless

We call our monthly and quarterly giving program the "Friends of the Friendless". This is an exciting time of year for this group. Every year in May, we hold our annual appreciation dinner. This year's dinner will be held on May 8th. We're in the process of growing the Friends of the Friendless so if you're interested in learning more, contact Tim Troutman to request a brochure by mail or visit our Friends of the Friendless web page.

This is a short clip from last year's banquet. BTW, if you make a decision to partner with us on a monthly or quarterly basis between now and May 2, you and a guest can attend this year's banquet. We hope to see you there.

Crosspath

This week's CrossPath topics are up and available for listening. Here are the topics covered:

Mon	What is the miracle of the story of the woman caught in adultery?
Tue	What is the miracle of the story of the woman at the well?
Wed	Can Jesus be present and we miss him?
Thu	Do you have Good News and Bad News?
Fri	Do you work with “those people”?

Shower for Dove's Nest CCD

Please join us at St. John's Baptist church for Dove's Nest CCD's re-opening shower. Remember, we are registered at Target.

The date is Saturday, April 12 2008 from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Hope to see you there!

Rebound's Pre-Program

Most of our supporters know that our program beds stay full year round. Some wonder what happens when someone wants to be admitted to our program when we don't have the space. We have an area we call "pre-program". There are 13 beds in the pre-program area where men can wait for one of our 134 men's program beds to open up. When a person decides that they're ready to make a change in their life, it is imperative to get them off the streets and away from negative influences as soon as possible. Our pre-program area allows this to happen.

The other day, I walked by and saw five or six men huddled around a small table. I looked on and saw that they were playing Monopoly. I had to smile... just a day or two ago these men were on the streets and their only idea of entertainment was using drugs or alcohol. Now not only were they sober, but they were passionately enjoying something you or I might take for granted - a simple board game. This is the start of their new life - a life that doesn't depend on substances for fulfillment.

What Is Addiction?

Such a simple question, but it requires a complex answer. The American Heritage® Stedman’s Medical Dictionary states that addiction is Habitual psychological or physiological dependence on a substance or practice beyond one’s voluntary control. The American Medical Association’s definition of alcoholism and other drug addiction is “…an illness that is characterized by significant impairment in the emotional, psychological, spiritual, physical, and social areas that is directly associated with the persistent and excessive use of alcohol and drugs. Impairment may involve psychological or social dysfunction. Alcoholism and other drug addictions also are manifested as a type of drug dependence of pathological extant and pattern, which ordinarily interferes seriously with the patient’s mental and physical health and his adaptation to his environment”.

Many people believe that addiction is simply an inability to stop abusing alcohol and/or other drugs due to a lack of willpower and self-control. The reality is; addiction is a primary, chronic disease as evidenced by the presence of an onset, progression, and predictable outcome. The disease is considered primary since it affects all of life’s domains and must be treated to cease the progression. People with the disease of addiction often state they tried unsuccessfully to stop using on their own, continued using despite negative consequences, loss of social and family relationships, increased tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, and spending a great deal of time engaging in activities necessary to obtain their substance of choice. If willpower alone were enough, there would only be a fraction of the reported number of alcoholics and drug addicts.

There are many different philosophies regarding recovery from the disease of addiction, and here at the Charlotte Rescue Mission, we believe that recovery requires addressing the mind, body, and spirit. Participants of the Rebound Men’s Program are taught the process of the disease of addiction, are required to attend 12-Step fellowship meetings, obtain a sponsor, and begin working the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous. Admitting powerlessness and unmanageability (step one) allows a person to take ownership of the disease and begin the process of putting the disease in remission.

The simple answer to the initial question is: addiction is a primary disease, with proper treatment and a person’s ability to change, the disease can be arrested and a positive outcome is achievable.

- Thomas G. Strouse Admissions Supervisor