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