Chris Hill has been an outstanding addition to our staff at Raleigh Rescue Mission, with a heart for empowering and encouraging those who walk through our doors to find solace, begin to heal and push ahead. Serving as our Director of Aftercare, Chris came to the Mission with a wealth of experience in counseling, serving the homeless and assisting individuals in their recovery from substance abuse. He works with each client helping them complete the classes and programs they need to be ready for the next steps in their life journey.
“Hearing a person’s story, being allowed to briefly glimpse into their lives and build a relationship right off-the-bat with someone who has been facing their challenges alone is a privilege and a responsibility,” says Chris. “Our clients have had to face tremendous challenges. Part of my job is to reassure and encourage the clients and their families.”
During one of the classes Chris leads, they talk about ‘roadblocks in life.’ “Roadblocks that lead to homelessness are hard to imagine until you’re faced with them,” Chris reflects thoughtfully. “It can happen to anybody, and until you’ve experienced homelessness you can’t even imagine the enormous challenges you have to overcome to get out of it.” He goes on to say, “One of the clients once told me that the worst part of being homeless, especially living out on the street, was there is no way of getting yourself ready for an interview. How do you even get clean and dressed for an interview?”
Currently, Chris focuses on building community in group sessions such as our Jobs for Life program, preparing men and women to experience the dignity of work through mentoring, resume prep and interviewing skills training. In these sessions, clients can be in a safe place with support from their peers. In fact, Chris’s favorite part about working at the Mission is the relationships that are created and the stories that are shared when clients are among their peers. This is where healing happens.
When asked what he’s learned about God from the mission, Chris says God sees us each of us on the same level, and as Christians, “we are to look out for the least of these” and reach out our hands out to forgive, help, and heal others. Chris, we’re grateful for you and excited to see how Raleigh Rescue Mission continues to grow under your leadership.
