Dennis's Story

For a class project at Millersville University, Sam was asked to create a form of art that exists online. Wanting to incorporate his passion for people, Sam chose to tell the stories of several clients at the Water Street Mission. Through his project, he said he hopes individuals will be “reminded of how fortunate they are to have what they have, and that they easily could have ended up like any of the people at the Water Street Mission.”

Dennis walked into the room, a middle aged man with a grizzled light beard. He moved with a subtle caution in his step but a smile on his face. As soon as we began to chat I could feel that I was talking to someone with a lot of insight on the value and beauty of human life. As we spoke, it quickly became clear to me as to where this wisdom was coming from.

Dennis grew up in Pittsburgh in a family of alcoholism and abuse, both verbal and physical. For as long as he can remember, his parents were constantly putting him down for not being good enough or not meeting their standards. All the negativity that constantly bombarded him took a toll on his sense of self-worth. He told me that when he was young he would hide away from people and just daydream about a better life, one free from all the cynicism. Instead of encouraging Dennis, his parents would hammer him down. As he got older he began to find refuge in drugs and alcohol. “Those little daydreams I had as a kid were so enhanced when I was doing drugs. I was able to completely escape reality for a little, and I loved that.” Years continued to pass and he began to be convinced that he must be different, that he was a step below the rest of the world. He told me that while substance abuse “numbs the pain,” he also described how it “robs joy from the soul.” Dennis was hollow.

The years continued to pass and Dennis was going through life with a mindset of emptiness and aloneness. The people he thought were his friends took advantage of his vulnerability. He would try to be nice to everyone in hopes that he would be accepted, but instead he would end up being walked on. He grew more and more submissive and was losing respect for himself. It left him even more alone and deeply bitter. Through bad choices and adverse circumstances Dennis was given an ultimatum that landed him at the rescue mission.

When Dennis came to the Water Street Mission, he was taken aback. He wasn’t used to anyone showing him genuine love. It was something he had to adjust to and even now, at forty-nine, is still learning to embrace. To recover from spending the majority of life being trampled on requires a lot of healing. As we spoke, I could sense that between his words he was still subtly putting himself down. I was deeply burdened to hear such an honest and insightful person feel that he is falling short of some mark. Christ’s love is reflected in the love that the Water Street Mission shows Dennis, and he is learning to find genuine truth and self worth in Christ. He is developing a truer self-image of the man of God he is. He has been in the program for 20 months, and works at the Mission.

Dennis loves to read and write. He is also an artist. I had the privilege of looking at some of his computer-based artwork and was impressed with his solid understanding of basic design elements. He also shared with me a few pages of his journaling; his writing style is very honest and aesthetic. Dennis is continuing to grow in his relationship with both the people around him and with Christ.