A Really Good Show

Ron’s dream in life was to be in the music industry. He not only wanted to perform on stage, but be a promoter and producer, as well. A bright guy with plenty of drive, Ron got an education, experience in the field and finally worked his way to the big-time while still a young man.

His music universe was R&B and Rap. Ron’s own rap group was the opening act for some national groups, and he also found success behind the scenes in promotion and production.

The pinnacle of Ron’s success came when he salvaged the promotion of a show at the 11^th hour and got to open with his own group for rapper Ludacris. Backstage was all the trappings that go with big-time rap concerts and he was living large – on the outside.

But in the midst of it all – Ron couldn’t believe it – on the inside he had thoughts like, "Is this all there is? Shouldn’t I be feeling lots more than I am right now? "

Even on stage giving a good performance, he found himself strangely empty. That night was a moment of clarity for Ron. When the show was over, all he felt was – been there, done that and got the tee-shirt to prove it! There was no sense of accomplishment or enthusiasm for the next show.

Booze and drugs had been a constant part of Ron’s professional life but now they did nothing to help the emptiness he felt. Thus began a spiritual journey that eventually led Ron to Helping Up Mission.

It’s been less than 6 months but he’s found his passion for music, promotion and production again. Now it centers on spiritual music and he’s also found peace and contentment in his soul.

Admittedly, it hasn’t been that long and but this Jesus stuff is working pretty well for Ron these days. He also understands how it works…

 

One Day at a Time,

Pastor Gary Byers

Deputy Director

How Do We Change?

Joe spent four months at Helping Up Mission – he was trying and made some progress. But stuff happened and one night he came back drunk and had to leave. Sometime later, I saw him stumbling around Little Italy.

"Hey Mike, man, give me a verse…Mike, give me a verse."

At HUM, guys memorizing Bible verses. Neuropsychological (brain and thinking) rehabilitation from chemical addiction occurs with abstinence and mental exercises – positive, repetitive recovery-oriented mental exercises. Here, they have a Biblical focus and thinking differently leads to feeling differently and ultimately acting differently. Real and lasting change starts on the inside – in our hearts and minds.　

When Joe asked for a verse, he wanted to hear some of that positive, recovery-oriented thinking he experienced in the past. So I shared I Corinthians 10:13 with him:

"No temptation has seized you accept what is common to man. And God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, but when tempted, He will provide a way out."

Then I asked, "What happened?"

It became clear Joe was battling with his identity. Identities are often forged in our minds by past mistakes, shame and guilt. Then stress and pressure cause us to hit the default button of old identity patterns which leads to old behavior patterns.

Joe looked up at me. "I just love to drink, Mike…I love it."

Then, head lowered and sounding defeated, said, "This is who I am, man. This is who I am."

That’s where the battle’s won or lost – in the mind. Joe doesn’t have to be that guy defeated by guilt, compounded by chemicals. He can be the guy motivated and empowered by the same identity he began practicing at HUM.　

Joe can let go of the shame and then won’t love to drink anymore – won’t even need it! God has the power to transform our identities by transforming our minds. It takes time and focus, but leads to the man we’re supposed to be.

 

Mike Rallo

Spiritual Life Director

HUM Time

One of the things I like about my job at Helping Up Mission is being able to participate in the life-changing process that so many guys experience here.

Admittedly, guys come and go - often not under the best of circumstances.  But, I frequently hear from undergraduates who left early and never finished our 12-month Spiritual Recovery Program. They share that they are clean today because they found some things here which continued to impact their lives long after they left us.  I've heard it enough times to know its true!

Guys who do stay and graduate have taken the opportunity to sit still and practice what they are learning.  Again, some try harder than others, but changes begin to happen during that year - changes that others can see.  Many times, I just have to say its supernatural!

Some grads stay on here as staff.  Last week we prayed for graduate staff Frank and his family at the passing of his daughter-in-law.  Admitting his powerlessness in front of all the guys in Friday's chapel service, Frank found the strength to carry on.  This week he shared how grateful he was for the support he received when he needed it.

Three years ago last month graduate staff Rasheed arrived at HUM.  Today, he has just about finished his AA degree. 

Three years ago today Pat arrived here, did a week of detox, graduated and joined the HUM staff.  We brought a dozen new guys into our program today - maybe there's a new staff member among them, too!

I love my job!

One Life at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director

Our Own Super Mario

Mario graduated from Helping Up Mission today.

He grew up in El Salvador and, as a teenager, during his country's civil war was "drafted" (read "kidnapped" here!) by rebel forces.  He spent the next 5 years doing what they told him to do.

When the war ended, Mario left his country for America - Baltimore, Maryland - where a cousin lived.  When he arrived at BWI, his cousin didn't show and Mario couldn't speak a word of English.

Having no idea what to do, he spent the next 14 days in the airport.  Finally, an airport employee who couldn't speak Spanish but had been watching him, grabbed Mario by the back of his collar - and took him to his own house.  He helped Mario find a job and get on his feet.

Mario also found a wife, they had children and moved to the DC area.  But Mario also found drugs and they eventually led him to Helping Up Mission.

Mario arrived here pretty messed up and was sent to Johns Hopkins Hospital for detox.  They realized he had severe kidney problems and began dialysis - and saved his life.

Today Mario is so thankful for Johns Hopkins Hospital and Helping Up Mission.

One Guy at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director

It's a Miracle!

KP feels like being at Helping Up Mission is a miracle.  After telling me his story I agree.

Two weeks ago he was in another city using drugs with a couple of junkies in his car and he had a severe medical emergency. SOP is for junkies to rob the guy and leave him there to die.  They didn't.

They called 911, cleaned out all the drugs and paraphanalia, left his keys on the floormat and took off.  Paramedics got to him in time and he would up detoxing in the hospital.  He was lucky to be alive.

As his 7 days of detox ended, the social worker didn't have any place for KP to go. "Out of the blue" a nurse, who used to work in a different hospital with my wife, tells him about Helping Up Mission, googles it and give him the phone number.

KP's here now and ready to get started with his recovery.  He told me he has a praying mother.  Think that helped?

One Day at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director

George's "Holy Crap Moment!"

I recently took a good friend to a meeting about Biblical education for children.  As part of the presentation, one man gave a brief illustrated talk about archaeology and the Tower of Babel. 

What the guy said was interesting but not new information to me.  Yet after he was finished, George leaned over and said to me, "I just had a holy crap moment!"

I really didn't know what to say!  At a seminar on Biblical education for children, a "holy crap moment" was not something I anticipated hearing.  But that was not the right time to discuss his "illumination" and I had to wait until the program was over to talk.

So, later, he told me about becoming a believer later in life because Jesus made sense and he needed something.  While he had heard about the Tower of Babel, whether it was a real structure and part of a true event or not had never been a consideration.

That day, as he was listening to the archaeological evidence which demonstrated the historical reliability of both the structure and the event, he couldn't believe it.  There really was a Tower of Babel and that event really did happen.

While I've never put it that way before, I think I understand "holy crap moments."  When God's Word gets illuminated to me or illuminates something else for me, it is exciting.   

The Bible is God's Word, it is true and it really can make a difference in our lives today and forever.

One "Holy Crap Moment" at a Time,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director

Graduation Banquet 2013

Today was my 15th annual Graduation Banquet with Helping Up Mission.  Once again, a packed house at Martin's West with a graduation class of almost 100 men, the HUM undergraduate choir and band, as well as video and live sharing of guy's stories.

Victor Hoskins, Deputy Mayor of Washington DC gave the Keynote Address.  A decade ago, as Maryland Secretary of Housing and Community Development, he came to know HUM. Since then, he and his wife have been faithful supporters of what we do.  In his address, Victor spoke openly and passionately about his personal faith and appreciation for HUM. 

Another faithful supporter of HUM, Coach Craig Ver Steeg of the World Champion Baltimore Ravens, gave the official Welcome to all our guests and sat at my table.  He sat across from Bill, drafted by and played for the Washington Redskins in the 1970's (see my 3/29/13 blog) and now a member of our Spiritual Recovery Program.

While men arrive each week, and officially graduate that same day one year later, once a year we recognize all those who graduated during the previous 12 months.  Today we celebrated the class of 2013.

We also invite HUM donors from the past year to join us so we can say thank you for caring and to show them the fruit of their investment.  Then, after being greeted at the door and ushered to their tables by undergraduates and hearing the undergraduate choir, we also invite these same donors to re-up again for next year.  The guys call this strategy a "dope-fiend move!"

But it obviously works, because the same people keep coming back year after year, and they bring new friends - who, themselves, often become donors and come back again, too!  "Building a Community of Hope" was our theme and that's what it felt like in the room today. 

Congrats and Thanks to All,
Pastor Gary Byers
Deputy Director