It Changed Me
“I didn’t know what to expect when I first became a coach at Hope CDA. I thought it would be me helping a man change his life, but these guys changed me. I get so much out of being around them and my faith has grown so much. It’s an experience that is hard to describe.”
This is the testimony of Bruce, a Coach at Hope CDA who has mentored two men all the way through graduation – Zack Wesling and Joseph Mason. Bruce tells a story that all our coaches would share – they expected to be the mentor, but grew in their own lives because of the relationships.
It is not a one-way street either. The participants are greatly blessed by the relationship as well. Most of these men come with a history broken relationships from the past. They do not have good men in their lives but, suddenly, find that they have a friend they can rely on. A dad who loves and encourages them. A brother who speaks truth into their lives.
Meet Jim
Jim is a retired deputy sheriff who worked in the Linn County Jail. Jim saw the darkest side of addiction – a man in jail for a drug related offense or for a crime related to drug addiction. He became a coach two years ago and sees the change that occurs because of the work of Hope CDA.
“Some of these guys I knew when I worked at the jail. You think, ‘They’re never going to change,’ but they surprise you. They come here and they become a new man. You can see that they want change. They want something different. They get it here. This is like no other place.”
How about Duane
Duane has been the coach of two men who graduated the program. He has witnessed the change as well – in the men and in himself. “You can’t believe the changes you see going on here. They come here after living lives where they made a lot of really dumb decisions, but they don’t want that anymore. They want to change and it’s really inspiring to see how they do change. You get a front row seat to life transformation, and you change as well. At least I have… a lot!”
Life Transformation is what Hope CDA is all about. You can be a part of that transformation as well, serving as a volunteer or by making a donation. These men need your help, so get involved. It will change you as well.
The Website Gets a New Look
The Hope CDA website (HopeCDAcr.org) got a new look. Like the houses we remodel, it is still undergoing some reconstruction, but a lot more information is at your disposal. You can find out more about the classes the men are taught, learn about the Hope enterprises, and see what events are upcoming by visiting our calendar page.
By visiting our calendar page, you can see the upcoming events, including the Tuesday Encouragement Night speakers for June and beyond. Hope CDA participants will also be participating in the Freedom Festival Parade and the Cardboard Boat Regatta.
Hope Good News
Jason Hunkins was baptized Sunday, June 14 at 4:00 p.m. at Mohawk Park. It was an amazing moment for our brother… Tyler Carpenter got baptized two weeks ago at Westdale Community Church. Congratulations to Tyler… Quinton Edwards, Steve Yarbrough, and Evan Dearborn were baptized at the end of May at Mohawk Park. A great moment for these three brothers to share…Braedon Bonnell competed in a Jujitsu tournament in Illinois three weeks ago and competed well. We are proud of Braedon for doing his best. Braedon was also baptized at the end of May at FaithLife Church… Kevin Wiley got accepted into Kirkwood College and will be working toward a degree in music theory in August. Kevin’s goal is to be a worship pastor. We pray for his success and perseverance… The Employment Team is working curriculum that will be used to help our men to find a job and be successful in their employment when they graduate. These classes will begin for our men in July… Jason Nichols found full-time employment. May God bless him in his new job. Jason also reached one year of sobriety. What an amazing milestone for our brother… Braedon Bonnell also completed the first Cedar Rapids Marathon, finishing in just over four hours! Good for our brother. Kaleb Duerre and Dr. Robert Pannier completed the half-marathon.
Volunteer Opportunities
We are still looking for more “Friends” to help our men through their journey at Hope CDA. We are looking for women who would like to be a friend and mentor to a participant. This is an amazing opportunity to assist our men on their pathway to sobriety, and we would love for you to be a part of this journey. If you are interested, please contact Tahsha Jones (Tahsha.J@HopeCDAcr.org).
Prayers for the Week
We ask you to join in prayer for these things:
- For Tyler and his knees. May God give doctors and therapists the knowledge and skill to help our brother so his pain is removed and his physical health is restored.
- For Lavonne Johnson. May God continue to give her healing for her body and comfort so she can find rest.
- For our brothers who were just baptized. May we rally to support them as Satan will seek to harm them and destroy their witness. Let’s pray they stay strong and we stand firmly with them to support them as they strive to be closer to Jesus.
- We pray for Luke Cloudman’s daughter. May she open her heart to Jesus, see her value, and turn away from the things holding her back.
- For the classes our men are taking. May they help to change our men’s hearts, leading them closer to Jesus.
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