Timothy Pruitt has been through it all.
He was born in Chicago and spent his childhood and some of his adulthood in the Windy City. In his adult life, Timothy has struggled with demons that at times have been overwhelming and have had disastrous consequences for his personal life. While in Chicago, Timothy lamented his struggle with poverty and his own poor decisions. In 2003 he reached a breaking point: He realized he needed a change. Timothy recalls, "It was hard out there. I was in and out of jail, and I realized that I needed a change. I was afraid to go out on the streets of Chicago because I was afraid I was going to go back into jail." Timothy pointed at a map and made the decision to come to Seattle. He doesn't know why or how he decided on Seattle, but he knew that Seattle was the place for him. He tells me, "Seattle just came to me. It seemed right."
Upon his arrival here, Timothy quickly found employment and shelter. He started selling Real Change. But as time progressed, Timothy fell back into some of his former habits. He lost his housing, his job, his desire to sell the paper and his sense of self. Most importantly, in his eyes, he lost his sense of faith. As Timothy puts it, "I was blind, I was drinking and using, and finally I saw someone selling Real Change and it came to me: I could start over here."
It was at this point that Timothy renewed his sense of spirit and his faith in God. Timothy found his spirit coming back through the sales of the paper. He experienced a new sense of spirituality. He is now aware of all of the good things and good people around him. Timothy attributes this change for the better to this renewed faith as well as the help from his mentors -- Pastor John Oliver, Pastor Jeffries and the New Hope Baptist Church. Timothy is turning his life around and moving down a new path.
A chance phone call also contributed to his changed life and perspective. After being out of contact with his family for a year and a half, his mother Dorothy May called him on his fianc