My Life In Pictures

Building Hope has teamed up on a project with United Way that teaches young men how to document what is important in their lives.  Each high school boy received a digital camera and a basic photography class.  Then they were told to take pictures of things that are important to them in their lives.  Each week they turn in their pictures with an explanation of a couple of featured pictures and why those pictures are important to them.  At the end of April, the pictures will be set up in a gallery at 3rd Street School where the boys will present them to the public.

Reflection is such an amazing thing.  When we take the time to look at our lives, to take stock of what is important and why it is important, it is amazing what we can find.  Looking through the lens of a camera to really evaluate what they find as a priority in their lives has been a challenge, but has been a fantastic learning experience.

We want to take the time to highlight a couple of students a week, so that you can see what they are learning.

Kenny Butcher

Kenny is 17 and a junior at Rose High School.  He plays varsity football at Rose, loves to play the drums and go to church.  Life hasn't been easy for Kenny.  His father has been in prison and his mom died of cancer.  He currently lives with his Grandmother.  Since coming to Building Hope in the 8th grade, we have seen him grow in his walk with Christ.  Kenny carries himself well and can talk to anyone.  He is one of our older boys who takes the time to mentor the younger boys in Men of Standard.  The picture he featured this week is a picture of a mural at Rose.

This mural expresses the artistic talents that the students at Rose have.  I like it because I like to draw different things like this mural.  There's always some kind of artistic talent someone has.  It took more than one person to paint this mural, it takes fellowship.

Ziaquam Whitley

Ziaquam, affectionately known as "Bear," is 18 and a junior at Rose High School.  He began playing varsity football in the 9th grade.  Since coming to Building Hope during his 6th grade year, we have seen significant changes in his work ethic, his leadership skills, and his willingness to serve. He takes his role as one of the primary leaders of the young men at Men of Standard very seriously.  His maturity in Christ has led him to take ownership of his relationship with God and share it with his peers.  He has a compassionate heart and wants to be a fireman.  The picture he choose to feature this week is a picture of his football locker at school.

Each year I've seen myself grow and become a better football player.  Sports got me out there so people will know me.  Everyone is different and should find the hobby or passion that takes them forward.

Inspired by Dr. Carson

By: Lesli Grandy

On February 21st, I had the distinct privilege of meeting Dr. Ben Carson, the speaker for our 2013 banquet.  For years his story has encouraged youth and adults alike to live up to their potential, never give up, and strive for excellence without excuses.  In addition, he recently moved into mainstream media with his presidential prayer breakfast speech and appearance on Sean Hannity.

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I first met him - a man who is a genius in his field, prioritizes family, and has a list of accolades a mile long.  I do know this, the man that I met far exceeded my expectations, but in a completely different way.  He was an ordinary, down to earth person with a beat up brief case, old luggage, and a comfortable leather coat.  He was humble, kind, and genuine.  There wasn't any clout or ego attached to this man.  He simply was Ben Carson, a grown up kid from inner city Detroit.  This made what he said and did during his stint in Greenville so much more meaningful to me, because it came from a truthful, unassuming man.

Dr. Carson took the time to come down to Building Hope and meet our kids.  He spoke to them, shook their hands, and encouraged them to live their dreams.  Then he turned around and spoke to an audience of 800 at our banquet, and inspired us to see things through a different lens.

When I think about the speech, I can't really pinpoint my favorite part.  Was it the story about the North Carolina twins, joined at the chest, who worked to make not one but two successful farms in the 1860's? Was it the story of his mother, who refused to let her circumstances negatively affect her family?  Was it the idea of taking a child on a walking black history tour, pointing out the successes of people who came before him and challenging him to make an impact on the world?

In spite of the fact that I don't have one favorite part of his speech, I was left with a lasting impression - one of hope and potential.  We don't have to go far to see people who have potential and just need hope.  Who is going to give this hope to them?  Will we turn the other cheek?  Will we act like they don't exist?  Will we scoff and become irritated at people who are abusing the system or making bad decisions as if we've never made a mistake in our lives?  Or will we roll up our sleeves and become part of the solution?

If you haven't had a chance, watch our video that tells the story of Jamarcus.  It is inspiring, but it's not the only great story to come out of Building Hope.  Let your imagination run wild with the thought of what would happen if we all decided to step out of our comfort zone and make an impact in our city!

A Life Redeemed

By Troy Moore - Men of Standard Leader

I would like to start by saying hello to all who read this blog.  I am truly blessed that the Lord has let me be a part of the lives of the boys and girls that Building Hope serves so that I can help instill some great and godly things in their lives.  Nothing compares to seeing them come back and tell me that they love me and that their lives are changed.

My story begins when I was very young and began to get in trouble.  I didn't have anyone there for me, and I ended up spending 19 years in prison.  Through this time I was able to look at my life and know that I needed a change.  I overcame all that the devil pushed my way through truly giving it all to God our heavenly Father.  When I look at the kids we have at Building Hope, I see pieces of myself when I was young.  This is why I have so much love for these kids.  If I can keep just one kid from going through what I went through, it will all be worth it. 

I'm pretty tough on the young men, but it's because I know they need it.  They need an adult who cares and who will be hard on them.  I consider them my own kids, and want to see them live up to the dreams God has put in their hearts.  Being here at Building Hope makes a difference to me as well.  It helps me to grow more spiritually every single day.

I want to thank our leaders, Dr. Mark L'Esperance, Pastor Mike Williams, and Mr. Rob Lee for putting me on the staff team after nine years of volunteer service work.  I love you all. 

Troy Moore

Editor's Note
Mr. Troy's oldest son was one of the original students in our program the first year we started.  He has faithfully supported and served Building Hope for over 11 years as one of our parent leaders, giving his time to support his children and others.  We are extremely blessed to have him on our staff.  His oldest son, Brandon, is now at Pitt Community College and works with Project Heart as one of our staff members as well.

Planting Seeds

by Laura Sprinkle, Women of Worth Coordinator and Middle School Instructor

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire and without succeding in the matter for which I sent it."  Isaiah 54:10 - 11

As I look back on the 11 years that I have worked at Building Hope, I am amazed at how God has provided for us.  I never would have thought that when we opened our doors to our first crop of students, in August of 2001, that we would look the way that we look today.  We started with approximately 15 elementary students  that first year, and are now serving 100+ elementary to high school students in more than one facility.  This would be absolutely impossible, apart from God’s provision of staff, volunteers, and financial partners.

This summer, I had the privilege of attending a three week ministry school in Durham.  I felt certain that God was calling me to this school for the purpose of equipping me to come back to Building Hope and continue in ministry.  On our first day, one of the things that I was reminded of, was that God’s Word does not return void.  Our teacher said, “Don’t ever dig up in unbelief what the Spirit has planted.”  That one sentence gave me so much encouragement for the ministry that God has called me to at Building Hope.

Over the past 11 years, we’ve had some very short seasons and long seasons with the students that we serve.  God has a purpose in it all.  Whether we taught a student for 3 months or for many years, the things that God placed on our hearts to teach have planted seeds that will come to fruition in His timing.

I’m so thankful for the fruit that I’ve seen in our kids’ lives and even for the fruit that I have yet to see.  As we move toward another year of sowing into the youth, one thing I know for sure…God is not a liar, so when He says that His Word will succeed in the matter for which He sent it, I know that it will. 

To all of you that have volunteered or given to Building Hope, thank you so much.  We thank God for each one of you, and for your investment in our students’ lives!  You have made an eternal impact in many lives!

Fulfilling Dreams

Fulfilling Dreams
by Alvin Gardner - ReCycle Bike Shop Supervisor

I grew up in Baker City, Oregon as a fatherless child.  When I was 15, my mom became disabled and I chose to drop out of school in order to take care of her.  In spite of the issues in my life, I had a life long passion - BMX bikes.  When the opportunity arose to come to Greenville, the home of Dave Mirra, I packed my bags and made the trip across the country to chase those dreams. 
In May of 2009, my girlfriend and I arrived here without any contacts.  We managed to find jobs and a place to live, but within 6 months my life had crumbled.  I lost my job and my girlfriend broke up with me.  She had "found God" and wanted to follow Christ.  I didn't know what that meant, but it sounded terrible to me.  My house was gone, my girlfriend was gone, and my chances of staying here were gone.  I didn't believe in a God at all and honestly thought he was just some fluffy cloud in the sky that people made up to make themselves feel better.  I was faced with a choice, go home to Oregon or stay in Greenville.  Something stirred inside of me, some desire to finish what I'd started, and I decided to stay. 

Shortly after that decision, my life was forever changed.  I ended up getting involved with some people from Victory Campus Ministry, and heard the Truth about a God who loves me and has a plan and a purpose for my life.  I surrendered.  I surrendered to His word, His ways, and His power.  I saw myself as never before, and I was transformed.  However, being transformed doesn't mean that I'd arrived and recognized my life plan.  I spent the next year in limbo, reconnecting with my ex-girlfriend only to end it again. 

Finally, I had a vision of what I wanted to do and I started taking steps to get there.  I used all my money and bought a bus with the intention of starting a mobile bike shop.  Some people would have called me homeless, but to me this was my home.  I fixed up the inside so that I could have a shop area and a living area.  It was like a regular RV, but without power or a bathroom.  I needed a solution.  A gym membership solved the showering problem, but I needed access to power. 

I had heard about Building Hope, and basically knew what they did, so I started looking around.  I happened to be there in between programs, so there weren't many people around.  I was able to hook up an extension cord to an outside outlet and viola, there was power. 

My first impression of Building Hope in 2010 was a parking lot and I haven't stopped parking there since then. 

For a while, no one really said much to me about being there.  They knew I was living in their parking lot, but I kept my distance and kept plugging away at my dream of having a mobile bike shop.  At the time I was painting my bus, and Robert, the director, approached me.  He told me that he'd pay me to paint the fence and so began my relationship with Building Hope.  One thing led to another.  It turns out that they had a dream to teach boys a hands on skill, and I happened to have the ability to teach that skill. 

Looking back, it's amazing how God had my road mapped out for me from the beginning.  He knew when I was 15 and dropped out of school, His purposes for my life.  He knew when I was living in a bus, that I needed to be there so that I could be in the place where I am now.  I first showed up at Building Hope as a boy wandering, trying to find his way into manhood.  They took my hand and have been a father to me, teaching me and training me into becoming the man that I am today. 

Now I am able to give back.  I see boys come in who are fatherless, struggling in school, hopeless, and I'm able to use my past to relate to them.  Just last week, they gathered around me and gave me a group hug.  They wouldn't let go.  I didn't do anything to deserve it, they just hugged me.  It got me. 
I still have dreams.  I want to see ReCycle succeed, but my dreams are bigger now.  I want to see our community transformed and to be involved in that process.  I want to be a part of something bigger than just me.

I sold that bus a while back.  I didn't need it any more.  Sometimes I wish I had it for sentimental reasons, but then I realize that I have so much more.

After this blog was posted, ReCycle was featured on WCTI Channel 12 news.  Watch the story here. http://www.wcti12.com/news/Teen-Fixes-Bikes-At-ReCycle-Shop/-/13530444/15482414/-/10ok81iz/-/index.html

Love

Love
By: Atlas Kelly, Social Worker and MOS Leader

Faith, hope and …Love???

I started working at Building Hope Community Life Center in the fall of 2006. When I came to Building Hope I was a confused young man. I did not have the best relationship with my father, I was struggling in my personal relationships, I was not in school, and I felt hopeless at what the future had in store. I was hurt, wounded, and abandoned.  I was a boy trying to be a man, wanting to be loved.

God, in his sovereignty brought me to the right place at the right time. My first thought was, “Man what have I gotten myself into?  I am working with four women.  They will never understand me.”  That year was a tough year for me.  I seemed to not click with them.  I felt more misunderstood than ever before, but, at the same time, every day I came to Building Hope there was a peace in my spirit, and I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

When I look back at that year I am reminded of 1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

What struck me most about that first year was not the fact that they were all women or that three of the four was white or that they were older than I, it was the fact that they had the love of Christ in them. They were always praying with and for one another and they would always show love towards me.  No matter how distant I was towards them, they continued to love me and pray for me.

I learned a valuable lesson that year, Love is powerful! I grew as a man, began to understand my worth in Christ, and begin to learn what love is, by the example that was set for me and by the prayers of some pretty AWESOME women.

The way they loved me is the way we should love our kids, in the same way that Christ loves us. We should desire to love these kids unconditionally with the love that Christ loves us not just because his word tells us to but because they NEED us too. A lot of the youth that we serve are much like I was nearly six years ago, lost, hurt, lonely, distant, and confused but one thing I have seen and know is true; Love is powerful!

The power of love to heal, comfort, and bring peace is miraculous. I have seen how love has transformed the lives of so many young men and women that we have had the privilege of working with at Building Hope, and it is extremely humbling to witness.  I challenge you as a reader to come Love alongside us.  I promise it will change your life the way it has changed mine.

Building Hope Memories

Building Hope Memories

By Jayme Wall, Lead Teacher 

As my second year as Lead Teacher comes to a close, the question I hear at the end of each day resounds in my heart and even louder in my head. 

 “Have I done enough?” 

I am blessed to work every day with people who are so encouraging.  Even with their encouragement, that question still arises in my heart, and I have to wait on the only One who can answer my question. The Lord sees my heart and loves me still the same.  Of course, His answer is simple. So simple even a child could answer it, and answer it they did.

In the last week of school, I asked all the 1^st through 5^th graders to tell me about their favorite memories this year at Building Hope. While they were working, I tried to think of all the wonderful lessons I taught throughout the year.

Like the time when we learned about Creation and they made a banner of all the Days...

or when we figured out there are three feet in a yard by creating a front yard to put our feet in.

To my surprise, none of these made it to their lists. Things like watching movies on a rainy day and eating ice cream sundaes on Fun Fridays were expressed A LOT.  Also high on their lists was when the ECU basketball team came to play

and they loved getting to paint the new mural on our building as well.

Talk about a surprise, huh? 

In my heart I started to feel like these things were not that important. I worked hard ALL year to create lessons that were fun and engaging. I wanted to say, “Don’t you understand!!??”  But in the Lord’s loving kindness, He speaks. He brought to my memory what I share with volunteers every year.  At Building Hope, we help kids have a chance to be kids. They get to play, be loved, cheered for, and always get a delicious snack thanks to Mrs. Irene.  Almost all of the students who walk through our door are practically grownups. They have already seen too much, heard too much, and have been through too much. They need a safe place to be children.

In Matthew 18:3  Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” He also said, “He who welcomes a child in my Name welcomes Me.” 

As I read these verses over and over again, the question in my heart is answered quite clearly.

I have done enough.  These students need help with academics to be successful in school and life, but that’s not what it is always about. They need to be accepted in the kingdom of God.  They need to be ice cream loving, basketball playing, joyful laughing, egg toss throwing children. 

With the Lord’s help, Building Hope is the place to achieve all of these things.

 

Here are just a few of their BEST Memories this year! 

I enjoy it on Fun Friday because we do not have homework to do. Also we can do fun stuff such as eating ice cream sundaes. They were good! Also because my friends and favorite teachers are here.

                                                                                                                Chantasia Raspberry, 2nd Grade

My favorite moment at Building Hope was when I shot and made 3 “Nothing but Nets” in a row. One day, I was practicing half courts shots. I asked myself, “Can I make a “Nothing but net” from half court?” Then I shot and it flew…and flew...then...SWOOP!! The ball went into the net and I had succeeded! THE END

                                                                                                                Jahtwan Mooring, 5th Grade

My favorite moment at Building Hope was when we painted the wall. I like painting because it is very fun. I like the wall now because it has a lot of colors and I like that. It was fun because you got to paint whatever you wanted in your circle. When we put different colors of paint together on the plate it made different shades of colors.

                                                                                                                     Anessa Roberson, 2nd Grade

My favorite thing at Building Hope is when we had the Traditional Feast. The reason why I like that is because I got to introduce myself to people. OH! And another thing is the Black History Celebration and Fun Fridays.  The reason I put those two is because I did not know that much about Black History Famous people and Fun Fridays were fun to me because I like the egg toss, ECU basketball, tag, and kickball.

                                                                                                                       Traquavis Harris, 5th Grade

On Fun Friday I enjoy myself with my friends. Also on Fun Friday we ate ice cream sundaes, but we had to write the directions for how to make the ice cream sundae first. It was really delicious.

                                                                                                                     Zaquerian Harris, 2nd Grade

My favorite thing at Building Hope was when the ECU basketball players came to play. When they came, they were tall and they talked a lot of smack, like how they were going to beat us in basketball, but we beat them instead. Then they had went home crying.

                                                                                                                          Myles White, 5th Grade

My favorite memory from Building Hope is the Christmas Dinner and getting presents. Then being with my teachers and friends and getting to meet my friends' parents. I can’t wait til next year.

                                                                                                                         Miracle Moore, 4th Grade

The reason I like reading at Building Hope is because I like learning. I also like to be on the edge of my seat. My favorite book is Sign of the Beaver and my second favorite book is Hatchet.

                                                                                                                            Taylor Outlaw, 4th Grade

My favorite memory of Building Hope was the egg toss. It was a very fun day! Throwing the egg back and forth was a challenge. Me and my partner came along until we dropped the egg. I will never forget the most fun I ever had at Building Hope.

                                                                                                                          Taniya Perkins, 5th Grade