Judge – “You Don’t Look Like a Heroin Addict!”

Many guys who come to Helping Up Mission and join our 12-month residential Spiritual Recovery Program still have court cases pending. Frequently they have made sufficient progress that a judge will allow them to return here to complete our program. Sometimes they don’t!

Keith was facing a long list of charges as a heroin addict in a neighboring state. In class he has stayed on the DL (“down low”) since arriving. But it’s been about 4 months and Keith has very quietly made some major progress in spiritual recovery.

On Mondays we share some good things that happened over the weekend and, for the first time I could remember, Keith said something.

Last Friday was time for him to go to court over his charges. Dad drove him and Keith was prepared to stay there!

Keith said the judge was hammering people pretty hard all morning and then it was his turn. The judge looked at his case and asked, “You’re a heroin addict? You sure don’t look like one!”

It was a pretty cool moment for Keith, because he knew he was different – but there’s nothing a judge telling you that you are!

After Keith explained where he was and what he was doing here at HUM, the judge replied. “I’ve seen lots of heroin addicts over the years in my court and you are different. Whatever you are doing there certainly seems to be working!”

Keith was sent back to HUM to finish his Spiritual Recovery Program!

It keeps on working…

…One Day at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director