MY STORY!

I LEFT SALTLAKE UT. HEADED FOR COLORADO SPRINGS TO START A RESCUE MISSION. OUTSIDE OF SALIDA UT. AT ABOUT FOUR IN THE MORNING I HIT A DEAR, MADE IT TO GRAND JUNCTION TO GET MY TRUCK FIXED, AND THE REST IS HISTORY. I FELT GOD WANTED ME TO STAY HERE IN JUNCTION AND SO FOR THREE DAYS I PRAYED ABOUT IT AND DECIDED TO STAY. I CALLED COLORADO SPRINGS AND TOLD THEM I WASN’T COMING THAT I WAS STAYING IN JUNCTION. THEY WERE A LITTLE UPSET BUT WE PARTED FRIENDS.

WE FOUND A PLACE AT 714 SOUTH 7TH  ACROSS FROM THE DAILY SENTINEL. SOME MEN HAD A STORE THERE, I WENT IN AND TALKED TO THEM AND TOLD THEM I WAS STARTING A RESCUE MISSION AND WE NEEDED A PLACE TO RENT BUT THAT I HAD NO MONEY. THE BROTHERS WENT TO THE BACK OF THEIR STORE AND WERE GONE FOR A LONG TIME. I WAS GETTING READY TO LEAVE AND THEY CAME OUT AND TOLD ME THEY WOULD RENT ME THE SPACE FOR $800.00 AND GIVE ME TWO MONTHS FREE RENT.  I WOULD HAVE TO PAY THE LIGHT BILL FOR THE WHOLE STORE. I TOLD THEM WE HAVE A DEAL. WE OPENED UP A THRIFT STORE RIGHT THERE OUTSIDE AND WE WORKED ON THE INSIDE AND GOT IT READY. ON JULY 17TH WE HAD OUR FIRST SERVICE. WE HAD AROUND 50 MEN AND WOMEN. WE DID NOT TELL THE HEALTH INSPECTOR BECAUSE WE NEW THEY WOULD NOT LET US OPEN. I WAS ON THREE RADIO STATIONS AND SHE HEARD ME PREACH AND TALK ABOUT THE MISSION. THE NEXT MONDAY SHE WAS AT THE MISSION. SHE CAME IN AND SAID SHE WAS GOING TO DO AN INSPECTION AND THAT I WAS CLOSED DOWN AS OF THEN. WHEN SHE GOT FINISHED SHE HAD A LIST ABOUT A HALF INCHES THICK AND SAID WE WERE SHUT DOWN. I TOLD HER WE WERE GOING TO STAY OPEN AND THAT WE WOULD DO EVERYTHING SHE HAD ON THE PAPERS. ALSO I TOLD HER THAT SHE DIDN’T KNOW ME BUT SHE WOULD FIND OUT THAT EVERYTHING I SAID I WOULD DO WOULD GET DONE. WELL, SHE STILL SAID I WAS SHUT DOWN. SO I SAID TO HER, DARLENE I WILL CALL ALL THE TV STATIONS AND RADIO STATIONS AND YOU CAN EXPLAIN TO THEM WHY YOU’RE NOT LETTING ME FEED THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO NEED THIS HELP. ALSO I WOULD BRING ALL THESE PEOPLE TO YOUR HOUSE TOMORROW MORNING FOR BREAKFAST.  SHE REPLIED YOU WOULDN’T! I REPLIED TO HER “TRY ME”. SHE LEFT AND WE STAYED OPEN. WE DID EVERYTHING WE SAID WE WOULD DO. THE MISSION WAS STARTED. A BLACK GENTLEMAN BY THE NAME OF FRED DROVE HIS CAR INTO A DITCH IN FRUITA AND CAME TO THE MISSION TO STAY AND HE STAYED FOR 10 YEARS UNTIL HE PASSED AWAY . AS WE GOT INTO THE FALL SEASON WE OWED THE MEN WHERE WE WERE $4800.00 DOLLARS IN BACK RENT AND THEY GOT NERVOUS AND CALLED FOR A MEETING WITH THE BOARD. WE MET AND I TOLD THEM THAT I BELIEVED THAT GOD WOULD SUPPLY THE MONEY. BUT IF HE DIDN’T I WOULD MAKE CANDLES AND PAY THEM.THEY IN TURN REPLIED THAT I COULDN’T MAKE CANDLES AND SELL THEM IN GRAND JUNCTION. BUT THEY GAVE US FROM THEN UNTIL JANUARY TO COME UP WITH THE MONEY.  I SAID WE WOULD DO IT. IN OCTOBER WE STILL OWED THEM $4800.00. I PUT SOME VATS TOGETHER AND I STARTED TO MAKE CANDLES. NOW FRED WAS 6ft3in AND WEIGHED OVER 350LBS BUT HE LOOKED AT THE CANDLES AND SAID THOSE ARE THE PRETTIEST THINGS HE HAD EVER SEEN. HE ASK IF HE COULD TAKE SOME OUT AND SELL THEM. FRED BECAME MY BEST CANDLE SALESMAN. I CALLED MESA MALL AND ASK IF THEY HAD A SPOT OPEN. SHE ASK WHAT DO YOU DO, AND I TOLD HER THAT I MADE CANDLES AND THAT I WOULD MAKE THEM ALL RIGHT THERE IN THAT MALL. SHE ASK ME TO COME IN AND TALK TO HER AND SHOW HER MY CANDLES. SO WE HAD A MEETING AND I TOLD HER EVERYTHING I THOUGHT THE MISSION WOULD DO AND THAT WE NEEDED TO RAISE SOME MONEY. SHE SAT AND LOOKED AT ME AND DIDN’T SAY A WORD FOR 15 MINUTES. THEN SHE SAID I’M PROBABLY MAKING THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF MY LIFE.  BUT, I’M GOING TO LET YOU DO THIS. BUT I’M COMING DOWN AND WATCH YOU MAKE THAT FIRST CANDLE. I SAID COME ON AND WE SET UP IN THE MALL THE DAY BEFORE THANKSGIVING. SHE CAME AND WATCHED AND LEFT. THE ONLY TIME WE SAW HER WAS TO SAY HI. THIS WILL BE CONTINUED IN THE NEXT NEWS LETTER.

WEBSITE:

CCGJC.NET