First of all I want to give praise to my Lord and Savoir Jesus Christ:

If it were not for the Lord on my side I don’t know where I would be. My name is Robert Cooper and I’m from Atlantic City NJ. I’m married with two grown sons and a beautiful grandson. However, it wasn’t always like that. I came to the Good Shepherd in 1997, hooked on drugs with no where to go. I had burned every bridge that I crossed, I felt hopeless, lost, and I didn’t know if I was going to make it.

After Pastor Mike sent me to a detox I was introduced to Jesus Christ in a way that I never knew Him before. I knew of Christ before I got to the mission but I didn’t know Him personally. However, the Good Shepherd Mission and the staff then gave an opportunity to get to know Christ in a Personal way.

I wish I could say that I graduated once and everything has been fine. Because of my own self I went back to drugs upon graduation.

However, what I’m really grateful about is that the mission teaches that God is a God of second and third chances. I’m so glad of that because I’m a 3 time graduate of the mission and today I’m clean, I have a relationship with my wife and children. I praise God that I am a productive member of society. I don’t take from society but I give back that what was so freely given to me. I thank the Lord that He provided a place like the Good Shepherd Mission because I know for a fact my life has been changed by the power of Christ and He used the Good Shepherd Mission to do it. Because: He is the Good Shepherd.
Robert Cooper

Hi. My name is Gary Brown. I am a student at PCCC in their hands on culinary program. I was asked by Chef Michael Rossi to put my skills to good use. We went to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey in Hillside.

The place was huge, but I was more amazed at all they accomplished. The Food Bank runs 14 week culinary programs designed to give valuable work and life skills to their students at no charge. The students, in addition to producing literally tons of food to be distributed throughout 18 of the 20 counties in New Jersey and feed thousands of children through their Kids Café program, produce a hot lunch daily for their paid workers who fill the jobs created by the Food bank. This, on top of providing millions of pounds of frozen, canned and dry foods throughout most of the state. And for all of you who think this is a big use of tax money, the Food Bank is privately funded for nearly 90% of its financial needs.

For me the real blessing came when I met Kathleen DiChiara, the Executive Director and founder of the Food bank. I could not believe all that she started by picking up food herself and feeding people from the trunk of her car. She is a real blessing from God.

For the Thanksgiving dinner, Chef Mike let me show the students the correct way to de-bone and slice 40 turkeys. There were other chefs and Food Bank students that prepared the rest of the meal (gravy, stuffing, vegetables, macaroni & cheese, pies and cake). Next we feed about 200 homeless children and their families.

It was a blessed time. Chef Mike is a good man. He is hard but behind it all he is cool. I met a lot of chefs and them being there was a blessing for others. I really enjoyed myself, but the real deal is that I am in a shelter myself and feel terrific that I can be a blessing to someone else. To God be the glory, and I learned there is no goal out of reach if you really want it.

God bless from the Good Shepherd Mission

On May 11, 2005 I graduated from the Good Shepherd Mission discipleship program. Since then I have been blessed in so many ways just by remaining faithful. One of my biggest prayers was restoration between me and my daughter. God heard, answered and she is now in my life. I couldn’t ask for anything more. One thing the Good Shepherd has taught me that with God there’s always more. I currently have a home church that is like my family, I thank God for them daily. I have met a beautiful lady that loves the Lord as much as I do. I visit the Good Shepherd Mission regularly .I’ll never forget the divine transition in my life that took place there. I would like to extend to a special thanks to those of you who support the Good Shepherd. This place truly saves lives physically and spiritually. Keep me in your prayers; Happy New Year and God bless you all.

My name is Chris and I grew up in Point Pleasant, New Jersey where two Bible believing Christian parents raised me. I guess I was your typical rebellious teenager who rebelled against all authority, especially the Bible. I wanted to do things the way I wanted to do them. I didn't listen to any advice that was given to me; I just wanted to figure things out myself. In my hopeless journey of rebellion I got involved with drugs and alcohol. At first it was fun, partaking on the week-ends, then my drug use leaked into the week-days and life became a vicious cycle of work and getting high. Eventually I got locked up. During this time I knew I had to make a decision, do I go out and continue to try to do things my way or do I get Help? By this time I was sick and tired of being sick and tired, I needed help! I called my parents and asked for help, they found me this place called Good Shepherd Mission. It was there that I finally opened my heart and mind to God. God has been doing marvelous things in my life ever since the Good Shepherd Mission has given me the opportunity to take time away from the madness of this world and to find myself through God.

Michael Howard
This is my testimony of what has happen to me sense I’ve become a Christian. Walking with God in my life, everything has been great so far. A few years ago when I was not saved my life was in shambles, using drugs, drinking wine, and doing all sought of things. One night I had had enough of what I was doing to my life. So I took my bike for a little ride. I didn’t know that it would take me into the arms of the Lord. Good thing it did, because if it didn’t I would have been a goner. But, I’m glad to say God showed me the Good Shepherd Mission. There I spent one year learning about Jesus Christ. The Bible steering me back on track with family, friends, and people in general. Now that I walk with God, I have peace of mind in my life. Amen.

It all started about ten or twelve months ago or so I thought, but I now realize it goes back farther than that. I was living in Wayne NJ, I had rental home and I knew it was in a flood area but for the price and availability it was perfect.

I had my own online computer jobs and company, I was doing well. What I didn’t have was Jesus in my life. You see at the age of ten my sister was taken from me. Until then I had gone to church and seemed to be on the right path to the Lord. But I took her loss very hard. She was twenty years old and a wonderful person to everyone, she and I were very close. Her house was set fire to by someone, and I understood God taking her. She was great and He wanted her near Him. I was furious at the way God took her and so I renounced God and never forgave or talked to Him again.

Twelve months ago, He decided it was time for me to come back to Him. So with one big flood he took all I had. With all my computers and house gone, I didn’t work. I had some money saved so I closed myself off from the world and stayed in a hotel for a couple of months. Finally the money ran out, I had nothing. So I cried out for help, That day a girl staying in the hotel saw me and brought me to the Good Shepherd Mission, She had lived in town and had heard about it.

Now after nine-months I have learned such things as fellowship, patience, and stillness to listen to God’s word and His answers to my prayers and questions. Now I’m saved and walking in the Lord’s will and I am on my way to repair the family bonds that were broken. First, I’m moving to Holland to live with my grandfather who I never knew was alive till God saw fit to reveal him to me. He owns a computer company and offered me a job.

I now pray and thank God for all and everything and everyone in my life. Praise be to God always and forever, Amen.

Paul Van Riper