Caydele F. was born in Trinidad and Tobago. He came to the United States in 1993 at the age of 6. Caydele felt that his family was dysfunctional and that affected his life as a young man. In his twenties, he began selling drugs and struggled with broken relationships and marital infidelity. He started experiencing suicidal thoughts, which he believed stemmed from his lack of connection with others, and knew he wanted to change his life. Caydele first went to rehab for his drug addiction and then in November of 2023, he found the Allentown Rescue Mission.
Caydele joined the Transformation Program hoping to “learn from his mistakes” and “build a solid foundation” for a new life. He said, “I always felt lonely, even in a room filled with people.” Caydele developed a sense of relief from learning how God is incorporated into his life and doesn’t feel lonely when he prays.
The brotherhood that he found at the Mission has also alleviated his loneliness. He realized that the drugs he was using kept him isolated. “There are no regrets for coming here, just gratitude. I guess being here you find a lot of what you didn’t think you needed, it really helps,” Caydele stated.
Caydele is currently working on the Clean Team Workforce until he finds a permanent, full-time job and saves enough money to move out on his own.
