Bret arrived at Helping Up Mission with a 20-year addiction to cocaine and heroin. He’d pretty much lost everything and was desperate for some hope.
After arriving, he settled in quickly. As an upper classman, Bret was given Intern responsibilities here and did good work. He was beginning to feel good about himself again.
That all happened in 2009. He graduated one year later and took a temp job with an employer in Hunt Valley that employed a number of our guys.
Continuing to live here on campus, Bret went full-time with the company one year after that. Then he bought a car. Things were going well for him.
Bret continued to live on campus until last year. Finally, after 3 years here, he moved to his own place across the state line in Pennsylvania.
He still works at the same company. It’s been 4 years now. Bret has even met a Pennsylvania girl that he likes a lot! They do martial arts together – but she is a higher belt than he is!
The company recently told Bret he had accrued too much vacation and had to use some. So he took a day off and came downtown to visit us here at HUM.
He is so grateful for all that we did for him here. Although the truth is – he and God did the real work, we just provided an opportunity and environment for it to happen.
I do get discouraged sometimes when some things happen in guy’s lives. But Bret visiting HUM on his vacation day just made my day!
One Day (Vacation or Not!) at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director