She Ran From Life

And Jesus gave her rest

Gail ran away from a home of abuse at age 15. It was 1967 and she found herself immersed in the anti-war movement in Michigan. She also immersed herself in drugs, sex and rock-n-roll while living in communes and staying with friends. Working light shows with traveling rock bands became her lifestyle. At age 22 she moved to San Francisco and stayed in the bay area, still using drugs and alcohol. Over the next several years she gave birth to seven children. She then moved to Santa Rosa to stay with a friend. Her addictions became so bad that it led to her arrest and she was given an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet. In her hopelessness of knowing her children needed a better mom, she ran from them and from the law. Winding up on the streets she wandered Santa Rosa Avenue. During this time she began to call out to God for help. It just so happened that the Redwood Gospel Mission thrift store was on Santa Rosa Ave. Gail would go in and buy clothes with the little bit of money she had while still using and drinking. The ladies at the thrift store felt compelled to help her and began to minister to Gail when she came in by letting her rest there and giving her something to drink. They would encourage her by saying that there is a way out and that they had been like her and through the power of God they were transformed.

In the parking lot of the store in one of the thrift store ladies car, together in prayer, Gail asked Jesus to be her Lord. Gail was soon staying at the Manna Home where she was given compassion, understanding and continual strengthening through the Word of God. She graduated from the New Life Program and then volunteered for a year. She was offered a position on staff, and for the past five years she has been the Manna Home education coordinator. With tears in her eyes she says “God restored my whole life, my family (her 7 children), my mind and my heart; now I want to give back to God, through the Redwood Gospel Mission.”