b'Rescue mission pioneersThe first rescue mission in the United States was Helping Hand for Men in New York City. Established in 1872, the mission name was later changed to Water Street Mission and is now part of The Bowery Mission. It was founded by Jerry McAuleya thief and river pirate who got saved at a chapel service in Sing Sing prison in Ossining, New York, on the banks of the Hudson River. (Incidentally, this is where the slang up the river comes from, meaning going to prison.)After prison, Jerry went back to drinking and lived in sin with a prostitute named Maria. Then he encountered a missionary who had come to New York City from Glasgow City Mission in Scotland. Jerry rededicated his life to Christ and this time he was discipled. He got involved in a local church and sent Maria to live with a Christian family in the country. She accepted Christ soon after. Jerry and Maria got married and became leaders in a local church. One night, Jerry had a dream that he was having a Bible study with his former drinking buddies while his wife was making a meal for them. Little did he know that his dream would come to pass! A wealthy man named Frederic Hatchpresident of the New York Stock Exchange, who had been involved in discipling Jerry and Mariacame alongside them to help launch the first mission. He donated funds and encouraged friends to support Jerrys vision. Fundraising back then was much different than today. There were no websites, direct mail, or social media. What is still true today is that God connects people with a heart and vision for the lost with people who have the heart and resources to help.There are many other mission converts who made a massive impact on our movement. Mel Trotter and Billy Sunday were both converts at Chicagos Pacific Garden Mission. The two evangelists led revivals throughout the nation and founded more than 65 rescue missions. My father, Stephen Burger, retired CEO of Association of Gospel Missions (Citygate Network), served in rescue missions for 50 years. He often talked with considerable pride on how rescue missions were the only organizations Citygate Network Archivescitygatenetwork.org 16'