"A Day To Go Fishing"

December 30, 2006

By Chris Cavarretta

The clock read 5:30…Oh how he usually dreads early mornings, but today was different; there was something special planned for today. Mike Blair popped out of bed with great enthusiasm. He moved quicker than most mornings. This was a the day he had been looking forward to all week; a day where he could express his talents, compassion and love for the Lord… Oh yeah… and his second love… a love for fishing. This is the day that the Lord has made… A day to go fishing!!

Mike Blair made an early morning announcement at the Rescue Mission dining room and instructed the “selected few” to meet for prayer following breakfast. After eating a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, sausage and country style potatoes, we all had full bellies and content hearts. We gathered in a circle and thanked the Lord for all His provisions and asked that He would bless us in the day to come and of course…to help us catch lots of fish!

Damian Hernandez and Joel Oksner of the “West Coast Christian Anglers” arrived in their trucks and we loaded up our fishing poles, tackle boxes and lots of food, supplied so generously by the Rescue Mission. We drove off to the Port Hueneme pier and set up our gear by the picnic area on the beach. It wouldn’t be a Rescue Mission / WCCA fishing trip without tri-tip, homemade BBQ beans, macaroni salad and all the fixings.

 Damian had to make a second trip to get his barbeque from home and some live bait to be used for fishing…we were going for the big fish today, the big fish in the water and the big fish on the pier. God has chosen us. We are His “select few”, and we’re given a task to go out and introduce the unsaved to the Ultimate Redeemer, Jesus Christ. These are the big fish we are seeking today! 

Mike Blair was truly leading this mission as he talked with all the people who know him as a regular on the pier. He told his story as he passed out the Rescue Mission Newsletter, where he was featured in January. He told them about the changes in his life, which were made possible by faith and the love of Jesus Christ. At the end of the day, He had shared his story with several people on the pier and one person was compelled to dedicate his life to Jesus Christ.

We fished on this sunny day and exchanged stories about our past experiences and hopes for a bright future. We helped one another and tried to come up with some innovative techniques to improve our chances to make “the catch of the day.” It was a slow day, but Mike Blair seemed to be the most prolific. He claimed it was skill; we said he was just in the right spot at the right time. He caught six or eight sand sharks. Nothing worth eating, however they are fun to play with. Even though the fishing was slow, we all had a great time being together. We are finding new ways to have fun in our new lives being sober. Who knew things could be this fun just hanging out on the pier enjoying the sunshine and good fellowship?

All and all, it was a great day to go fishing! We want to thank the Rescue Mission for providing all the food and allowing this event to take place. Mike Blair and the West Coast Christian Anglers also gave their time so generously. It feels great to be sober and to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. I am so grateful that the Rescue Mission has enabled so many men to step up and truly fulfill their purpose for God. We can now start to enjoy the simple pleasures in life. I hope everyone can see the true value in these “fishing trips.”  It’s more than just fishing…it’s finding a new way to live.

We all hope there will be plenty more trips like this. Whether it is fishing trips, softball games, barbeques or even going to see a baseball game. These are productive events that help to replace all the time wasted in addition with more enriching, recreational activities.  This can be structured in a way that the chaplains pick individuals monthly as an incentive for working a good program, or designed for the men in the latter stages of their program, to help them re-integrate back into productive lifestyles. This all promotes positive change for our lives.

Thanks again to the Ventura County Rescue Mission & the West Coast Christian Anglers for making this happen.

God bless you all!!

Sincerely,

Chris Cavarretta

Ventura County Rescue Mission

Volunteer Coordinator