TORONTO — The former client of a homeless shelter was back for Thanksgiving, with a special message of thanks.
Live music helped welcomed more than 300 diners to the 74th annual Thanksgiving dinner put on by The Scott Mission.
At the drums was a man with a story of change, and thankfulness.
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Sandro Superina was unrecognizable as the man who showed up at the mission broke and famished in 2007, as a self-described “degenerate drug addict”.
“I was stealing, I was robbing, like everything to get money,” said Superina.
He believed he was never going to be anything other than a crack addict, and was going to use his entire inheritance to fund his addiction.
“I was going to spend all of the money and just smoke crack for the rest of my life, that was my plan.”
It was a quote from the Bible on the wall which changed everything for him the first time he went to The Scott Mission.
Jeremiah 29:11 reads, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”
Something in it he said, just touched him, and connected with him.
He got his meal then came back, time after time.
Since then he said, with the support he had at The Scott Mission, not only is he drug free he doesn’t even crave drugs, his only craving is helping others.
His favourite story is about a homeless man in the street who recognized him as the drummer.
“I’m happy that I’m famous that way. This is what gives me joy, I’ve touched his heart somehow.”
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Superina’s transformation motivates not just those who go to the shelter for help, but also those who provide it.
“Sometimes we wonder, God, is this going to touch somebody? Is it going to transform someone’s life? Seeing Sandro, it is possible,” said Peter Duraisami, CEO of The Scott Mission.
So on a day of thanks, Superina said, it can be a bit overwhelming.
“You start thanking God for the smallest things, shoelaces you know, because I had nothing, I was dead.”
He said he is also thankful he can inspire others to live life in a new way.
Then, with a deep breath, he blurted out the bottom line.
“I’m thankful to be alive.”
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