Dear Family Member:
Thankfully, in the past month, we were able to graduate two of the finest gentlemen you could ever meet. The difference in their lives since they walked through the doors over a year ago is truly amazing.
You may remember Kalei Luii for we shared his testimony in our April 2020 newsletter. He received his Phase V as a graduate last month. And was he surprised! At the thought of leaving his “brothers” he had grown to love, his emotions overwhelmed him for indeed their hearts are united for eternity! But he is going home to be with his lovely wife, two daughters and a darling son who was only two months old when Kalei left for Alabama. There is a bright and joyful future awaiting Kalei. Facebook Messenger has allowed him to stay in touch with them, but he is anxious to see them in person. As his wife said, “I can’t wait to meet my “new” husband”!
Kalei has developed an intimate relationship with Jesus who has qualified him to be the priest of his home, a husband to his wife and daddy to his children. Through daily Bible study and one-on-one and group counseling, he has been able to process his feelings and deal with issues that caused him to use drugs. As you know, drugs were only the symptom of his addiction. In therapy, he was able to revisit his childhood continuing all the way to adulthood. The honesty and genuineness in processing his past experiences brought about God’s healing and restoration. First, he forgave himself and then asked forgiveness from his family and loved ones.
After arriving home and spending quality time with family, Kalei’s heart’s desire is to give his personal testimony to help drug dependents and codependents not go through what he and his family did.
We read in the Sabbath School lesson last quarter that our personal testimony is more important than Bible doctrines. That fact floored the minds of these men and they are all anxious to share their journey and have already started preparing to give their testimonies while in the program and especially after they graduate.
Once this pandemic lifts, Kalei will return for the annual graduation ceremony we are planning for all graduates. Congratulations, Kalei! We look forward to your returning for the great celebration!
You may also remember Allen Davis. He was featured in the February 2020 newsletter. After 16 months, he graduated from the program with Kalei. His graduation plans brought much joy to our hearts.
DAP has been such a huge blessing to me. Before I came, I was homeless and living out of my car. I was using methamphetamines daily and to support my habit, I was running and selling drugs. I was in and out of jails and I was constantly looking over my shoulder. I had no peace. Every day was just a frantic scramble to get high and to get by. My family loves me very much and have always been there for me, but even they were beginning to distance themselves from me!
My life was falling apart, but thankfully I had people praying for me – my mother, my grandmother, and my aunt are just a few of the people who interceded on my behalf. Thankfully God saw fit to answer their prayers and extend His grace and mercy to me. The answer to their prayers came in the form of DAP and Lonny Shattuck who told me about the program.
God is the only one that can truly help any of us and I give Him all the honor and glory for freeing me from the bondage of drug addiction and for bringing me out of my own personal Egypt. I believe God uses people, things and situations to carry out His will. I know that God used Mr. & Mrs. Harris to help me turn my life around.
Since arriving at DAP, I’ve learned structure and discipline. I’ve learned how to identify my prideful and selfish behaviors and how to change them. For the first time in my life, I have a deep spiritual relationship with God, and I’ve learned to constantly chase after the character of Christ. Last year, I was baptized by Pastor Jason North at the Oakwood University Church and my life is changed.
Today, thanks be to God, I have been clean and sober for 16 months. I recently graduated from the program and I decided to stay and work for the ministry as House Manager and Work Therapy Program Supervisor.
I feel impressed to give back to those who have given me so much. In addition to giving back, I also want to share with others what has been shared with me. I know that there are countless other lost souls who are going through the same trials and tribulations that I was, and if I can help ‘just one’ of them to realize that they can have a better, more abundant life through Jesus Christ, then my choice will have been worth it. I thank God for all that He has done for me and for all He continues to do. I will continue to follow where He leads.
We are in prayer, claiming God’s promises and that His will be done. We are moving forward in faith with God’s help and yours, to raise the funds needed to acquire this parcel which surrounds our Recovery Home.
We would like to give you an opportunity to help us with our fundraising for the land. Please give us a call at (951) 544-1307 as we are in need of special donors who will become our “Land Partners” so we can purchase this wonderful plot. God needs you and DAP needs you as well.
In His service,
