Austin, a guest at Hiway 80 Rescue Mission's Triumph Village campus in Tyler, tries on new glasses after an anonymous donor paid for them following a Facebook post. 

A young man walked all the way from Ben Wheeler to Tyler, had broken his glasses and was on the brink of taking his own life. That was until he saw the words ‘Welcome Center’ at Hiway 80’s Triumph Village in Tyler and soon realized God wasn’t done with him yet.

Hiway 80 Rescue Mission, which now has four campuses in East Texas, provides hope for those feeling lost and alone.

The rescue mission was established in 1955 to provide food and shelter and to share the gospel to men experiencing homelessness in Longview.

What started as a small building in Gregg County now spans four campuses including two in Tyler. Services offered by the mission reach those in need across East Texas, according to Hiway 80 Rescue Mission Director of Development Amelia Heatherly.

“We provide many services to the homeless and hurting at our four locations in Tyler and Longview. In addition to meeting immediate emergency needs, we also offer Christ-centered recovery programs,” she said. “The New Creation Discipleship and New Direction Discipleship programs are designed to teach people about Christ’s love and commands, arming them with the tools to overcome addictions, abusive situations, and the many difficulties faced in life. Upon completing the 10-month programs, services are provided to assist them with achieving self-sufficiency.”

A man by the name of Austin recently found his way to one of the Tyler campuses, Triumph Village.

“He had left another program in Ben Wheeler and he thought God was done with him. He just took off walking. Austin’s story is one of God’s faithfulness, because he was desperate, thought he was alone, but when he arrived he realized that God was with him every step of the way,” Heatherly said.

In a Facebook post last week, Hiway 80 Rescue Mission recounted Austin’s arrival at its Triumph Village campus in Tyler:

“Austin came in yesterday and he was soaking wet. It had been raining all morning and he had walked from Ben Wheeler, TX — over 25 miles away — from Hiway 80 Rescue Mission Triumph Village in Tyler. He had broken his glasses and was on the brink of taking his own life. All he had to use to see was a lens out of his broken glasses. He looked through the lens and saw the words ‘Welcome Center’ and walked into Triumph Village. He asked what this place was, and when he was told it was a discipleship program, he broke down in tears.

“He had left another program in Ben Wheeler and he thought God was done with him. They gave him a dry set of clothes and took him to UT Health Center for medical evaluation and told him that he could join the program upon his return. He made it back! He is dry! And has a smile on his face! Please pray for Austin as he begins his journey at Hiway 80 Rescue Mission Triumph Village for life transformation through Jesus Christ!

“Austin’s story is one of God’s faithfulness, as he was desperate, thought he was alone, but when he arrived he realized that God was with him every step of the way leading him to where the road to a new life starts!”

In a 24-hour time span, the outpouring of support from the post was tremendous and just days later Austin was shopping for new glasses with the manager of Hiway 80 Rescue Mission Triumph Village. The glasses were paid for by an anonymous donor.

“We are humbled by the outpouring of support we receive from our East Texas community and beyond. Hiway 80 Rescue Mission has served people in need since 1955,” Heatherly said. “Community support is what fuels our work, as we are 100% donor funded and could not serve homeless and hurting men, women, and children in the capacity that we do without the support of the friends of Hiway 80 Rescue Mission.”

Heatherly said Austin has joined the New Creation Discipleship Program offered for men at Hiway 80 Rescue Mission and hopes he will complete it, graduate, and gain life transformation through Jesus Christ.

“As Christians, we all know that God is working all the time, even when we cannot see Him actually moving; at Hiway 80 Rescue Mission, we get to see it every day,” she said. “We see lives changed on a daily basis and are committed to helping as many people have life transformation through Jesus Christ as possible.”

Heatherly said Hiway 80 Rescue Mission campuses have seen many “Austins” and will continue to help anyone who walks through its doors.

“We have many ‘Austins’ that have been here in the past, are here now, as well as many that will arrive in the future,” she said. “In the first 16 days of February alone, 71 new clients who have never received services from Hiway 80 Rescue Mission have walked through one of our four campus doors for services.”

“Whether someone joins one of our programs or is a guest utilizing our emergency shelter only, Hiway 80 Rescue Mission provides for all of their needs,” Heatherly said.

Hiway 80 Rescue Mission is 100% donor funded and provides shelter, meals. showers, clothing, laundry, case management, prescription and medical assistance, and assistance and resources to obtain identification, and more.

Hiway 80 Rescue Mission locations include:

Hiway 80 Rescue Mission Men’s Development Center, offering emergency shelter and The New Creation Discipleship Program, at 3117 W. Marshall Ave., Longview.

Hiway 80 Rescue Mission Women & Family Development Center, offering emergency shelter and The New Direction Discipleship program, at 3004 W. Marshall Ave., Longview.

Hiway 80 Rescue Mission Triumph Village, offering The New Creation Discipleship Program at 12781 Hiway 64 West, Tyler.

Hiway 80 Rescue Mission Gateway to Hope Day Resource Center, offering laundry, showers, clothing, case management and ID assistance, at 601 E. Valentine, Tyler.

For more information, visit www.hiway80rm.org or call (903) 759-8101.