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

Believing in God's Best

Believing in God's Best
By Lesli Grandy

I have always had a heart for the “lowest of the low and the poorest of the poor” as I used to call it.  I received my degree in elementary education, and I can remember my first open house at Wintergreen Intermediate as a 21 year old college senior.  As I walked in, my heart broke.  There were so many kids skipping in holding hands between their parents.  They were carefree and all smiles.  Then there were kids trudging in with a big sister or a teenager or even one child who walked in alone.  My sadness became anger at the injustice of the world, and it threw me into this imbalance of complete confusion as to why some children have so much and some children have nothing. 

Now that I am a parent, I have a much more clear understanding.  Our children are a huge answer to our prayers, and there’s nothing in this world that I love more.  Yet still I am stuck in a state of confusion.  Because I love my children so much, I want them to have the best.  However,  I loathe the fact that I spend so much time and energy thinking about the best schools, lessons, friends, and experiences for them while some children don’t have anyone thinking about them at all.

This morning I had a revelation that can only have come from God.   It is so simple, yet so profound. 

 It is not my responsibility to provide the “best” for my kids. 

Now, I’m not saying that I’m going to sit on the couch and just let things happen as they will, never taking the initiative to do anything for them again.  What I mean is that regardless of where they go to school, where they take lessons, or what experiences they have, GOD is going to provide HIS best for them.  This simple truth has lifted a burden off my shoulders, and made clear so much that has confused me for years.

Kids who are born into situations where they have nothing can still receive the best, because God loves them and wants them to have HIS best just like He wants my kids to have His best.  It’s a level playing field when it comes to God’s love.  His best can happen in the projects or in a country club, in a drug filled house or in a loving play group.  God can move mountains to provide for children because He loves them.

So where does that leave us? We pray.  We pray for our children, but we also pray for children who have nothing.  When you drive past West Greenville, pray for the kids.  When you go to open house at school, pray for the kids.  When you are watching a little league baseball game this summer, pray for the kids.  Whenever the Holy Spirit prompts you, pray for the kids.  I think we’ll all find that as we start praying for the kids who have “nothing,” that God will start to do something amazing in their lives and ours.  We might find ourselves praying for kids all over the world, all the time.  And we might just see miracles happening in the lives of children who have never had the world’s best, but now are experiencing God’s best.

A Door of Hope

A Door of Hope
by Robert Lee, Executive Director

How important is Hope? 

Seems these days that hope is becoming more and more a valuable commodity.  In the four years since I started working with Building Hope, we've taken time as a staff to ask ourselves some hard questions about what we do and what we hope to accomplish.

Often the process of questioning leads to more questions than answers, but one thing the last four years have taught me is that the people I am privileged to serve with here are the most committed, loyal, and God fearing servants I have ever met.  Their ability to keep hope alive, for the lives of the students and families we serve, and for our own spiritual walks are what keeps us going each day.  We often ask ourselves questions like...

Are we doing what we say we do?

How do we measure success?

Are we empowering or enabling?

Who are our clients?

And what is our product?

The answer to the last question, we decided, is this intagible resource we call HOPE.  Our mission is to produce hope in the lives of our students based on Jeremiah 29:11.

We know many things about hope from the Bible.  Hope is for something we cannot see--it's belief in the invisible or yet to come.  Hope does not disappoint, at least when we fix our hope firmly on what God desires for our lives.  Hope deferred is a difficult burden to carry.  And hope against hope is often the stance to which God calls us.  Hope, Faith, and Love--they are all pretty high on the eternal list.

But for us to produce hope, we need God to ultimately make a door of opportunity for each young person to acheive the goals He has for their lives.   God says He will make a door of hope in the most difficult situation.  These doors are often opened through relationships with volunteer tutors, mentors, or some connection to the community that affords our youth to see a new path out of their troubles.

You may be that door of hope that some young child needs.  As I've been serving with this group over the past four years, I've come less and less to expect some new program to answer the needs we have.  Instead, I've learned more and more that people who invest time in youth through loving relationships, are the raw materials with which hope is built.  You connect these youth to someone who loves them and to a personal walk with their loving creator, and hope, no doubt, will emerge.

A Journey

By Lesli Grandy

When I began working at Building Hope seven years ago, our staff consisted of four women.  Three of us were young, white ladies and Mrs. Irene, well she's Mrs. Irene and needs no further explanation.  Back then we mostly served elementary students and some very memorable kids who had the misfortune of breaking the law and being in the court system.  We were passionate about what we were doing and had all the enthusiasm of twenty year olds setting out to change the world!  I had a Bible verse that rang in my heart over and over again every day

To give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, for the display of His righteousness.  Isaiah 61:3

Every time I thought of the kids we were serving, I thought of this verse.  The elementary kids we were working with daily were like young saplings that God had planted in our care.  I could picture them planted beside a river and knew that they were going to grow into strong and tall oaks that would glorify God with their actions and words.

The ensuing seven years can only be described as a journey.  Our staff is more diverse and we have many more kids and programs at the center.  One thing remains the same though.  God is still planting kids in our care and we are seeing them grow into oaks of righteousness!

There is absolutely nothing that warms my heart more than to walk through Building Hope and see the kids that came to us in early elementary school as middle and high school students now.  They are AMAZING!  I can hardly believe their manners, their willingness to help, the way that they mentor the younger kids, and the way they love God in a culture that begs them to do the opposite. 

As we begin this journey of blogging, we hope to share the stories we get to experience, the ways that God moves in our lives, and the Love of God that challenges us regularly.