Like a freshly planted seed, new life does not spring forth without first experiencing a burial. Similarly, this is a reoccurring theme for many of the students from the Rescue Mission who persevere through the program to graduation. Only after working through brokenness and burying the past, will new life flourish.
Our graduation ceremonies are an inspiring demonstration of men, women and families that have worked hard to examine what caused their lives to crumble, pressed through the challenge of growth and triumphed into transformation. As our Summer Graduating Class’ Valedictorians Bradley and Samantha Buse articulated so well; the first 6-9 months of a program might be the hardest, but it is actually the issues that arise in that most difficult time of growth that are the lessons that are remembered most when you progress back into life outside of the program.
This graduation was an emotional commemoration of several of these students that we have come to know so well. To reinforce the comments of our Chief Program Officer, Jewel Loff, we send these graduates out, but we will remain a strong network of support for each one as they transition on.
Thank you to all of the special donors, volunteers and partners that participated in this special evening, including our keynote speaker, Tom Thate, Mayor of Anaheim.
