This month we feature two volunteers: one who has been serving with RMA VC for a short time, and one who has been serving for over a decade. Both bring a heart to serve and a love for people in need.

Mike has been volunteering with RMA VC for over a decade.

Mike Gregory

Long-time volunteer Mike Gregory happens to also be an award-winning lapidarist (someone who collects, cuts, and polishes gems and stones). One of his favorite stories is about the time his display of rocks and gems won Best of Show at the Ventura County Fair. “On the front of my display I had placed a sign that said “Luke 19:40” in which Jesus says that if he tells his disciples to keep quiet then the stones will cry out. When anyone asked about the verse, it was an opportunity for me to share the good news.”

Mike is a lifelong resident of Thousand Oaks and a long-time member of Calvary Christian Church in Westlake Village. He remembers getting a call sometime in 2015 from the Mission’s Volunteer Coordinator who had heard of the Malachi Dads group that Mike was a part of.

“She was wondering if we might be able to come and speak to the men in the program at the Mission and of course we said yes.” The Malachi Dads’ focus is on men in prison and helping them to become Godly fathers and build a legacy of faith. Mike and his partners in the group felt that God was calling them to the Mission to offer all that they had learned in ministering in jails and prisons. “We changed the name to ‘Malachi Men’ since our meetings there would include some who were not fathers,” he recalled.

Ten years later and Mike and the Malachi Men have been coming faithfully each week, teaching the men, and building another legacy of faith. “I think that one of the biggest things that the men at the Mission learn is that other people are no different than they are,” Mike explained. “Their life circumstances might be different, but everyone falls short in God’s eyes. They go from thinking ‘What do these people from Westlake Village possibly have to teach me?’ to realizing that, as Romans 3:23 tells us, ‘All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.’”

Mike has witnessed some amazing transformations that have occurred in the program men, with many going from skeptical and doubtful to hopeful and filled with promise. “We keep things simple and try to meet the men where they are by stressing God’s love and explaining that He ‘wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.’”

Volunteers have helped send program men, shown here, to the Hume Lake Retreat—an annual time of worship, fellowship, and renewal in God’s creation.

Mike and the Malachi Men have also been generous to the residents by purchasing Christmas gifts for them. One of the men remembered the impact that had on him and the others in the program: “The holidays can be hard, being away from family and friends. Having a gift to open on Christmas Day was just what many of us needed to feel some joy in what might otherwise be a depressing time.”

Mike and his partners have also helped to pay for RMA VC men to attend the Men’s Retreat at Hume Lake the last several Octobers. The retreat has been a highlight for many as they get away from the city and experience fellowship, worship, and the beauty of God’s creation. The men come back filled with a new sense of purpose and a true feeling of God’s presence. As Mike has said: “We alone among God’s creatures can stand in awe of what He has called into existence.”

Mike was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer a few years ago and he was initially only given a few months to live. “I prayed to God that I might live long enough to hold a grandchild and now my granddaughter is 2 years old. God has blessed me beyond anything I could have expected,” he said smiling. After some time in remission, Mike’s cancer has returned, but he remains hopeful. “None of us ever know when God will call us home. But until he calls me, I will continue to serve and to do my best to bring others to Christ. As 1 Peter 3:9 tells us, ‘The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead, he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.’ I want to continue to play my part in that.”

Tanya began volunteering during Thanksgiving 2024 and now helps lead other volunteers.

Tanya

When asked what she most likes about volunteering with RMA VC, Tanya has a quick response: “It’s the smiles on the men in the program! They seem to be happy to be somewhere that is changing their lives. And the volunteers all get so much out of serving here. I am blessed to get to work closely with them.”

Tanya was no stranger to serving with organizations that help those struggling with addiction and homelessness. “I had worked extensively with Real Life Church in Santa Clarita doing outreach and helping to bring services to those that need them,” she said. “I have a son who is an addict so I know firsthand what a difference organizations like these can make.”

Tanya started volunteering last Thanksgiving but didn’t return until she attended the Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast in April. “I got talking to (Volunteer Coordinator) Darlene and I told her I really wanted to start doing more volunteering at the Mission. She suggested I talk to Director Darden who offered me the opportunity to assist Darlene on a regular basis.”

Tanya now helps by leading other volunteers. This involves getting them signed in, overseeing kitchen prep work, assigning tasks for meal services, and cleaning up at the end of a shift.

Though only a volunteer for a short while now, Tanya has made a big impact on the program men in the kitchen and the volunteers who generously give us their time. “I would 100 percent recommend volunteering here to anyone looking to give back,” she said smiling. “This place does so much good, so why not be a part of it?”