Lee & Julia Vozel- Bangor, Maine
Julia first encountered City Reach when Pastor Brian and a team of people were evangelizing in a homeless shelter in downtown Pittsburgh. Though she was caught in a destructive lifestyle of drugs and prostitution, she repeatedly turned down their declarations of “Jesus loves you.” But Pastor Brian gave her a card and told her that she could come to the Women’s Hope Home if she wanted to get out. A few weeks later, she called Pastor Brian, crying. He and his team brought her to the Hope Home. When asked why she was crying, she said “You told me Jesus loved me, but how can He love me?” When she was younger, her father killed himself, her family deteriorated, and she started engaging in destructive behavior. She didn’t understand how Jesus could love her. Pastor Brian told her that Jesus did love her that He died for her and He had a wonderful plan for her life. Julia committed her life to Christ, and went through the women’s Hope Home program. During that time it was evident that God had restored joy into her life. She began to share the new hope she had with others and showed it through her devotion and enthusiasm for serving God. She graduated from the women’s Hope Home, became a leader and eventually the women’s home director.
When Lee first came to the men’s Hope Home, he was addicted to heroin and as a result, landed in the hospital due to the abscesses all over his arms. Although the doctors thought they might have to amputate it, God was healing Lee, and his arm got better. He stayed in the Hope Home for a few months, but he wasn’t really motivated to change. This was clear when one day after taking Lee to visit his mother, Pastor Brian was downstairs in the men’s home and heard a thud from up above. He ran upstairs and there was Lee, on the floor with a needle and an empty bag of heroin next to him, clearly having overdosed. They called the paramedics and began praying.
After trying various methods to revive him, the paramedics said “This man has been dead for 30-40 minutes, but we’ll make one last attempt to save his life.” They took a needle full of Narcan and shoved it into his heart. Lee sat straight up, and the first thing he said was, “Pastor I’m sorry.” Pastor Brian went to see him in the hospital, and told him that he had to get his life right with Jesus because no one is promised a tomorrow. And there in the hospital, Lee gave his life to Christ. He graduated from the Hope Home and began to serve as the men’s home director.
Lee and Julia were serving as the home directors at the same time, and soon they began a dating relationship. Shortly after, they were married. It was a miracle! These two people had lives that were full of destruction, both were “dead” in their sin, and Lee was literally dead, but God changed everything. He gave them hope and a purpose. He brought them together in a healthy, godly relationship.
Their lives have been transformed. But this transformation and hope is not just for their lives. Lee and Julia had a baby boy named Titus. 
The change that Lee and Julia experienced will now be passed down in the next generation through their own son. Titus will know a life filled with love and hope, with two parents who serve God and serve others.
When Jesus changes somebody’s life, it’s has a “ripple effect”: changing not only them, but also many others around them. Baby Titus is living proof of that. This is the power of the gospel in action!
And now it’s time for God to change a few more lives, because he is calling Lee, Julia and Titus to move to Bangor, Maine to do His work there.
On November 3rd Lee and Julia packed up and moved to Bangor, Maine where God was calling them. They are walking beside the Pastor and his wife to help plant a church in the inner City of Bangor. “City Reach Bangor” also operating with the Church is the Christian Recovery Homes such as the “Hope Homes.” Their Church mission is to reach the one who is far from God and help them become a Passionate follower of Christ through the tools they offer. Lee and Julia are currently traveling in the surrounding areas and testifying to God’s Grace to try and raise awareness of this new work they are starting, to gather support for the Men’s and Women’s Hope Homes. The Grand opening of the Men’s Hope Home was November 6th. A Women’s Hope Home is also in their Vision. God is doing a work in Bangor. There are already 3 men in the men’s home already receiving the life power of Jesus. One of the men has not been clean since 1992. The church will not be planted until sometime in 2014.
If you could please keep the leaders and this work being done in Maine in your prayers that would be greatly appreciated. That would be greatly appreciated. If you would like more information or would love to contribute to the work that is going on in Maine feel free to contact Lee or Julia Vozel. Or you can also go to the link CityReachNetwork.com or Visit Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Cityreachbangor/info)for Bangor, Maine. Thank you so much for your support. You are helping them reach the next person in need of a miracle just like they were.
Note from Julia and Lee: All it takes is one person to pass this special gift of hope on. I’ll never forget the woman who shared her testimony with me that day in the Shelter and it gave me hope and and changed my life forever. She planted a seed in me! If you have a story which we all do, I want to encourage you to share it. You never know who needs to hear it. Sometimes it’s not what we do but what we set in motion. Our deepest misery becomes our ministry! May The Lord shine his face upon you!!! God Bless You!
Lee & Julia Vozel –Bangor, Maine
Contact information for Lee and Julia Vozel:
Julia’s Email: jcisalive3@yahoo.com Lee’s Email: Leevozel@gmail.com
In His Grace 