Our resident, Eric, completed the Christ Recovery Center program today, February 22, 2021! Congratulations to him!
Eric wrote the following poem to illustrate his journey from addiction to hope, thanks to your gifts. Enjoy!
All of You
Just last year around this time, I was high and homeless too,
sleeping on the Green Line train in the city that I once knew.
Nothing to eat and nowhere to sleep. What was I to do?
Looking like a bum or creep, alone without a clue.
I was told to go to UGM to get a cot and some warm food.
It was getting late, so I called ahead and tried not to be rude.
Sammy answered the telephone; he told me to get there soon.
I said, ‘okay,’ but didn’t know the way, and it was already past noon.
Two suitcases and three duffel bags, exhausted but on the move.
Bad directions and running out of time; it was my mind I was about to lose.
Crying and hysterical, again I called this dude.
“I’m trying to make it in time,” I said. “I’m tired, and I need some food.”
He said, “Quit crying. Pick up your stuff. I’m waiting here for you.”
It was already past check-in time, so I did what he said to do.
For three days, I stayed at UGM, sleeping on a cot.
From Chaplain Steve, I learned one night that Jesus still loved me a lot.
Later that night is when I met Brad. He said, “I noticed you nodding your head.”
I told him “Yeah,” with a tear in my eye. That morning I’d wished I was dead.
He mentioned a place called CRC and said, “Let’s go fill out an app.”
I said, “Okay,” and away we went. God’s plan fell into my lap.
The very next day is when I met Chris; he asked what I was willing to do.
I can’t remember what answer I gave, probably “Whatever you want me to.”
God works miracles every day and works them through me and you.
The next day when I checked in, they said, “We have a bed for you.”
I almost got asked to leave that month for breaking a major rule.
I tried to lie and keep my phone. Wow, was I a fool.
Luckily, I was shown some grace, only because I was new,
and I’m grateful for another chance to still be here with all of you.
My plan is never to use again, and I hope that yours is, too.
Three daughters is all I used to have, but I now have all of you.
Good friends are hard to find in life and also far and few.
You’re my family now, and I got your back and hope you’ve got mine, too.
God gives us eternal love, grace and mercy to name a few,
and in return we give our faith, and that’s easy for me to do.
I almost left when it got tough, but that’s not what I do.
Satan wants us to quit and fail, and I know that this is true.
I’ve learned so much about these steps and of Jesus, too.
I’ve also been taught about deceit, which explains my old worldview.
I’m lucky to be alive today, and so are all of you.
We’ve known family and friends who’ve used that didn’t make it through.
Some who have died in front of us, with nothing we could do.
Some found lying all alone, stiff and cold and blue.
There is so much help at CRC for all of us to use,
but it’s up to us to do the work and be careful what we choose.
It doesn’t get any easier when we graduate Phase Two.
This disease of addiction is always waiting for us to lose.
Yesterday is in the past, and today is blessed and new.
I’m proud to be sober today and here with all of you.