"I really grew in my faith"
Kirk - “We knew something special was going on”
Friday March 1, 2024 will always be a special day for Kirk. With 439 Days of Sobriety (now 513 days!), Kirk had officially completed our transitional recovery community called Greenhouse Recovery.
On our first day in October 2023 Kirk was here helping and moving in. “We were putting together beds, carrying dressers in place, even the refrigerators were still in the box. I was the first of three guys to come in, we all wanted to be there because we knew something special was going on,” Kirk shared.
Kirk came to us from another recovery house in Chester. We made it clear to transition on good terms, to be grateful and write a thank you letter. Our recovery houses are a bit different from others, we are focused on building recovery capital, character development, practical life skills with total accountability. We really want a “home feel” because many of us in addiction have become institutionalized and we want to break those cycles. So we have newly renovated kitchens, bathrooms with new matching appliances, brand new beds, mattress and sheets.
Kirk continued, “There are so many great things I have to say about Greenhouse, I really grew in my faith and recovery and 14 months of sobriety has taught me to remain humble, to walk my life one day at a time, to be honest, willing, and open minded. I give all thanks to the power of my Lord and God. Thank you for leading me to Greenhouse Recovery. I have been set free and I will never stop helping the next person.”
Anthony - “There’s nothing that we lack for here”
Anthony also came to us in October of last year. This program and the relationships he built have been important to his recovery. He said, “I’m the type of person, like all human beings I believe, who need people…if you’re feeling disconnected, like I was in the past, that was an open door for me to drink. When you drink all your problems go away…so you think.
“Being here has given me a lot of stability and it has prepared me for my next step which I am taking. This has really been a great help to where I want to be with my recovery and just my life in general.”
Anthony has just over 11 months clean and we are proud of him as we are all our graduates! It is our pleasure to work with these men and have accountability as they move through the program.
When asked about the housing Anthony said, “Everything was remodeled, it was really up to par. Ya’ll did a fantastic job with the appliances, the refrigerators, the seating, kitchen tables - the kitchen was beautiful. The house itself is really up to par - it’s clean, immaculate.”
Anthony is very grateful for everything that was provided as part of the program. “There’s nothing that we lack for here. It’s a wonderful thing when people donate and it definitely helps the cause.”
Matthew - “You cared when no one else did”
Matthew came to Greenhouse in June of 2023. He came into our houses from another recovery house and had about six months of sobriety. When I met Matt he said, “I need strong accountability and support. I need to be with people that follow Jesus and who will teach me how to live, learn, love Jesus and other people”.
Matthew was one of our first clients for recovery counseling in 2020. After he moved on, I lost contact, but would always pray and reach out to him. Something was different with Matthew this time when he reached out to join our recovery houses. He said, “Pastor John, you cared when no one else did”. He kept saying, “I'm serious about never going back to my addiction again, I'm willing to do anything to be set free”. Matthew currently has over 18 months of sobriety and has found housing and is committed to coming back and serving.
I asked Matthew if there was one thing he would share with our partners, he said, “You never met me, yet you prayed and gave so we could have just a chance to be free from addiction. Thank you, please pray, give and help the next guy like me!”
Ongoing support to our graduates
Our goal, to help support men as they transition out of recovery houses and on their own. That being said we are always available to support them, we just want to champion their success and help them live independently again free from addiction.
I’ve shared with Kirk, Anthony and Matthew that they are always welcome to be with us. As a graduate of our program we become family forever, and we have a rich fellowship of brothers and sisters walking in the ways of the Lord, in redemption reaching other people in need.
We celebrate these recovery stories today because of your prayers and generosity. These men need a lot of resources to get back on their feet and Greenhouse Recovery is able to do that by God’s Grace.
Our small ministry is growing and helping so many people by meeting in their struggles. Thank you for your continued financial support, thank you for praying and volunteering. We have the privilege to help because of our Lord and your faithfulness. Thank you so much! Today we celebrate together the restoration of one soul!
Keep going our brothers Kirk, Anthony, and Matthew! We celebrate you today!