The Help He Needed

For former lawyer Mark Honsaker, regaining his life after a brief incarceration, was a team effort. After spending 11 months in Galveston County Jail and despite maintaining his innocence in the case, Honsaker was offered a plea agreement. “I walked out of jail that evening with nothing other than the clothes on my back and the cell phone that was in my possession when I was detained.” He spent the first night in an alley before finding his way to The Salvation Army the next day. “I entered their program which is what led me to Our Daily Bread.”

CHRISTUS Our Daily Bread supervisor Johnathen Vallery worked with Honsaker to get his social security card, as well as direction on possible employment opportunities. “While I had an extensive background in the construction industry, as well as being highly educated, it was proving very difficult to get back into construction as I had no tools and my only transportation was a bicycle obtained from both The Salvation Army and Our Daily Bread’s assistance.”

After receiving his social security card, Honsaker secured a part-time job at a local grocery store, while he continued setting his sights on the construction industry. “As I began getting my paychecks, I used the money to not only buy tools I needed, but to also rent trucks in order to get materials to job sites.  Within a month of beginning to pick up construction jobs, I now had the funds for a down payment to purchase a vehicle.”

Vallery worked on finding a car dealer for Honsaker and connected him with St. Vincent de Paul Charities, who helped Honsaker with securing housing. “I cannot stress enough the importance of these facilities and organizations that dedicate themselves to help those who are not seeking hand-outs, but rather are just at a point in their life where they need a little help and encouragement to keep going to get their lives back in order,” said Honsaker. “One day I hope to be able to return the love, grace, and mercy that were shown to me by them tenfold.”