Helping the Hurting - May-June 2001
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My name is Edmund
and I was born in Barbados, WI but I grew up in Brooklyn, NY. I was always involved in some form of criminal activity from the time I was 12 years old. At the age of 15 I spent three years in reform school. After my release, I got hooked up with a gang and subsequently I started to live a reckless and dangerous life-style, which culminated in the deaths of many of the friends and gang members I knew. However, the Lord’s hand was upon me and through His great mercy He saved me from death several times. Even so it would still take some time, pain and loss for me to finally admit that my life was unmanageable and that I needed help. After moving from New York in 1989 to live in Hartford, I met a lovely lady who is now my wife and the mother of my two sons. Her name is Melinda. She was the one who encouraged me to seek help through the ministry of Youth Challenge. I have now been in the program for 17 months and the Lord has used this great ministry as a catalyst to my redemption and change into a functioning member of the body of Christ and an asset to society.

Thank you for supporting us. To God be the Glory!

My name is Philip.
As my father before me, I have spent over 40 years of my life selling and/or using drugs, mainly heroin. Only by God’s hand did I survive the streets of New York. Satan had me bound and I loved the path of violence and destruction that was leading me to hell.

In 1976 I was stabbed and had a near death experience. My leg was amputated above the knee. Although this slowed me down considerably, I was still running the streets. Like my father before me, I spent eight consecutive years in prison for my criminal behavior. I finally was stopped long enough to think about God. I even had a time to be drug free.

Throughout these years, I dragged my wife and four children through my life of sin. Finally, in January 2000, spiritually dead and weighing 105 pounds, I was prayed into Youth Challenge by my wife and son. After 10 days of detoxifying from my heroin addiction I started seeking Jesus Christ.

After a few months I was learning to be a disciple of Christ and I entered into a full and loving relationship with Him. I received the message to "Be Still". So I stayed in Youth Challenge. After 14 months, I am still here learning that God is good. He wants me to stop striving for wordly status and material things and to trust and wait on Him.

I understand that He did not make me to be like anyone else. Thus I must seek to follow God’s plan for my life. Soon I will be graduating from the program. This includes restoration of my family for the service of the Lord. No one can equal our God, the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Thank you very much for making it possible for me to stay drug free by giving generously to Youth Challenge.

My name is Joel.
I’m 21 years old and I grew up in Manchester, CT. My parents have always been loving Christian parents only wanting the best for me. After going to a Christian School for nine years, I transferred to a technical high school in town. My first year there (ninth grade) I was introduced to marijuana. I started smoking it a couple of times a week but it gradually increased. Soon enough I was a daily user and started to buy bigger and bigger bags to support my habit. I had a job so I had no problem wasting all my money on drugs. Later on I tried acid(LSD), mushrooms, special K (an animal tranquilizer) and ecstasy, simply known as "e". I caught two arrests at school, in my junior and senior years, but I still didn’t learn. I graduated high school and, after working full time for a while, I went to college. My first semester was good, second semester I was slipping a little because I was still using drugs daily and then before I entered my third semester (second year of college) I was introduced to heroin. I thought I found the perfect drug. At first, I started to snort it and within a few months I blew all my money on it. I was buying a few bundles a week. After New Year’s (’99-’00) I tried to commit suicide. I stopped going to college, I was sick of what happened to me and I had a habit I could not support. I went through different rehabs. In fact, on one occasion I left one hospital only to return seven or eight hours later. I signed myself out, was picked up by my friends and for the first time I shot up. I had a mild OD and fell on the floor. The two people I was using drugs with got me upstairs to "chill". Finally, I found myself in Plainville using dope a whole week, not eating or sleeping and I found myself calling my parents. I told them I’d had enough and that I didn’t want to live like this anymore. I went to another detox, then to a program where I found myself shooting up again. None of these secular programs could help me. I came to Youth Challenge on May 1st, 2000 and my life totally changed. I am no longer addicted to any chemicals or drugs but most importantly my relationship with my Savior the Lord Jesus Christ is being restored. My parents come to see me, my friends and family see such a change in me. When others gave up, God was still there with His hand protecting me.

Thank you Lord for another chance to get it right!

My name is Ricardo.
I am 23 years old and I come from New London, Connecticut. First, I want to thank God for the salvation of my soul and forgiveness of my sins.

I started using drugs at the age of 14 by smoking marijuana, cigarettes and drinking alcohol. Later on at the age of 18, I started using heroin. I found myself without faith or hope. I had to rob from my family, friends and stores to maintain my habit. Because of the drugs, I lost my family, job and everything I had. Meanwhile, as my habit kept growing I would ask myself if I would ever be able to leave this life of drugs and crime.

I was in a street gang for five years. On various occasions, I have been arrested and I served over one year in prison. I was close to death a number of times. But God’s mercy has always been with me and He rescued me from death.

God came into my life and freed me. Today I can say that I am drug free and saved. Thanks to God’s help and His mercy my family has been returned to me. Now I can understand that God has a plan for me and with His help I will keep going forward.

I am grateful to Youth Challenge for giving me the chance to renew my life and for preparing me to be a man of God. This has been a great help. I feel strengthened and have a desire to triumph in my life. I know that God is working in my life and he has a plan for me. With His help I will have victory and like the Bible says in Philipians 4:13 "I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

I give the honor and glory to our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is all powerful. God Bless You.