Bill Wilmes
My name is Bill and I currently reside at the Astoria Rescue Mission. I was born in the late 40’s and the oldest of 12 children. I learned at an early age to stay out of the way and to get by on my own. As I was growing up when ever one of my younger brothers or sisters got into any kind of trouble, I got punished for it since I was supposed to be an example for my brothers and sisters.
I graduated from high school in the mid 60’s and at that time in my life, I had the attitude that I was going to do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it. About that same time drugs and alcohol entered my life and as a result of my life style in the late 60’s I found myself in prison. I had a 5-year sentence as a result of my defiant attitude. In the first 6 months I picked up 3 more 5 year sentences for assaulting a guard, inciting a riot and escape. When I first got there I wrote letters to all my brothers and sisters. In the time I was locked up I never received a letter from anyone. I was angry, bitter and developed the attitude I didn’t need anyone at all. In 1974 a person who was very special to me died, it was my grandmother, I did not find out about it until 1977. I was released December 31, 1976 and since that date I have not been inside of a cell or even gotten a traffic ticket.
After my release I was angry, bitter and resentful. During the 10 to 15 year period that followed I went where I felt like going and did what ever I had to do to
survive. I took a willing part in every kind of deceit, perversion I could find, lying and stealing. Using people was as common to me as getting up in the morning.Over the years I guess you could say I mellowed out. I just knew there was something better than what I had done in the past. I was searching but I didn’t know for what or where to look. For the last 25 years I would normally go from east coast to west coast each year.
About 10 years ago I stopped using all drugs but continued to drink. As a result of my life style my health is not the best. I have had two heart attacks and I carry a bottle of nitroglycerin in my pocket. I have hepatitis c, which is untreatable, most of my right lung is calcified, a section of my spine is calcified and my trachea is partly calcified. Every day I wake up in pain that stays with me through out the day.
Before I came here I was in Bend Oregon. When I left there I was headed for the coast and I was going to head for Santa Barbara. When I reached the coast for some reason I went north. I hung out in Seaside for about a week and then came to Astoria. At this time in my life I was going from day to day just waiting to die. I had no hope, no dreams, no goals and no ambition. I just wanted
the struggle to be over. I was in downtown Astoria having a cup of coffee when someone noticed my out of state plates on my car and asked where I was from, where I was going, what I did for a living and so on. For some reason I ended up opening up a little and admitted I needed to change my life. He gave me the phone number of the Mission and told me if I really wanted to change, the people at that phone number could help. I called and then came to the Mission.About 5 or 6 years ago I started to read the bible, but to me it was just a book of stories. Today when I read the bible it has meaning, but it’s not knowledge of knowing something in my head, it’s a knowing in my heart. Today I have a hunger to learn more. Each day I place myself totally in God’s hands and try to honor Him with my thoughts, actions and deeds.
To sum it all up today all I can say is thank you Jesus.
God Bless all of you for praying and supporting the Mission so someone like me can have a place to learn of Jesus and grow in the Lord!