Dear Family Member:
Thanksgiving is the season to gather with family and friends to fellowship and thank the Lord for His bountiful blessings. Well, we want to share the blessings of our visit to the Custer Seventh-day Adventist Church in Custer, SD last month. These church members are strong supporters of “My Brother’s Keeper Scholarship Fund.” They send $500 each month to help pay the tuition for Greg Walls whom they sent to us in March.
We were greeted by the Howe and Wilkins families who made arrangements for our stay for the week end. You should have seen the “plush” cabin we stayed in. The fresh air and just being in the mountains around God’s nature was so relaxing to our souls.
Cliff gave his testimony at the Sabbath worship service. The response to his appeal to help drug dependents and codependents was remarkable. After lunch, we told our love story. Did you know, 31 years ago, we met on Sabbath, Cliff proposed to me on Sunday, and three months later we were married? God’s “exception to the rule” for marriage J. The guests were overjoyed to hear our story.
A question and answer period followed and much healing took place especially for the moms and grandmothers grappling with the pain from their children and grandchildren, not knowing what to do. We proposed a support group for these ladies who plan to reach out into the community to seek out and help ladies in pain like them. Cliff loves children! They were all thrilled to receive a dollar bill for promising him that they would never use drugs. This is Steve Wilkins and his family. All four of these girls received Cliff’s book and are excited about reading his story. They were influential in helping Greg overcome his drug addiction.
Family member, you can see that lives are being changed as God continually gives us an opportunity to witness for Him. Most of the men here at DAP are without funds and this scholarship fund that you are building for the ministry is providing for their needs and changing their lives. Last month, we received $2,680 for this fund. Thank you so much! Next month, we will share more success stories of the men who came with no funds and have graduated and remained sober for decades. Their journey with God has been extraordinary, all because of your love and financial support for them.
When we all get to heaven, what a glorious day that will be! Graduates, like Bruce Nutt, Tracy Wise and Justin Hansen who were married here at our church, through their example, are helping the men coming behind them. In heaven, one of these clients will tap you on your shoulder and say, “Hello John/Jane Doe, it’s because of you that I am here. And not only me, but my wife and four children! Thank you for your love and sacrifice for DAP. You helped to save my life and the lives of my brothers that you will meet. “Oh, what a glorious day that will be!”
During this Thanksgiving time, our hearts are overjoyed as we think about the Cross and the sacrifice Jesus made for each one of us. Let us study His character and keep looking at the Cross to see His mercy, tenderness, and forgiveness that is far greater than the sympathy of a mother for her disobedient son addicted to drugs.
God bless you, and we look forward to your continual support of “My Brother’s Keeper Scholarship Fund.”
The Drug Alternative Program is a tax-exempt non-profit organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, so your donation is deductible from your US income taxes to the extent allowed by law. Please consult your tax professional to ensure proper filing procedure.