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Healing Through Accountability

"We have a very singular approach to seeing people healed from the ravages of addiction," says Alex Lim. "It is about using the power of Christ to transform men and help them to understand their calling and how much they are loved. There is no shortcut. It is a very good picture of what Christ did for us." Lim is coordinator for Career Coaching, a program that is part of CityTeam Ministries, a homeless ministry supported by City Church of San Francisco (RCA).

Lim explains that CityTeam Ministries provides the "classical" components of a homeless shelter--food, medical care, and clothing--while Career Coaching offers access to a learning center, Bible studies, and opportunities to cook and serve meals. The goal is for participants to be able to go back into the world equipped with the skills they need to be successful.

Men can enter the Career Coaching program after completing a 12-step recovery plan and counseling. "We coordinate two volunteer coaches from City Church to partner with one client. When coaches meet with them, clients are wondering what to do with the rest of their lives. These questions can be very daunting for men who are used to thinking only about their next drink or hit. It is amazing for our clients to meet with someone who is genuinely interested in being a friend. We have learned that offering to design resumes and assist with job searches is just not the point. Instead, we focus on building a relationship based on trust and learning to serve," Lim says.

Over the past three years, more than 50 coaches have participated in the program, and the results have been life-altering for both clients and coaches. "Many coaches tell me that they learn that the homeless are just like us, and that everyone is broken," Lim says. "They are beginning to see what healing and renewal truly mean and start rethinking their priorities. In my own experience as a coach, I was taken aback by how little of God I was allowing myself to see. "When I recognized God's amazing light in the midst of darkness, it completely changed my perspective."

Coaches meet with clients on a monthly basis. Some men drop out of Career Coaching's rigorous program, but many stay connected to their coaches even after leaving or graduation. "Recovery is an ongoing struggle, and the Christian model of recovery is about community. If a client relapses, he will often call his coach for support. In our daily battles against succumbing to temptation, we all need lifetime friends. That is what our coaches aspire to be."

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