03 June 2015

Chris, a soldier in The Salvation Army, will soon begin training to become an officer. He reflects upon the unusual path that brought him to where he is today.

“Beginning at age 13, my life was full of addiction,” he states. “I had a heavy alcohol problem, which led me to methamphetamines, which led me to other drugs.”

Through many years of drug use, Chris managed to keep his head above water. But ultimately, his addictions caught up with him. He lost his job … and eventually his family kicked him out.

From there, Chris “bounced around,” as he puts it. He would stay with friends, then at various homeless shelters. One of those shelters was The Salvation Army’s Adult Recovery Center (ARC). During his stay there, Chris learned about the facility’s rehab program.

“I decided to give it a shot,” he says.

Although Chris was already familiar with rehab, this time was different. “Because The Salvation Army is based in Christianity,” he explains, “it helps you get out of yourself and start to identify your problems. It helped me give my will to God.”

About 60 days into the 90-day program, Chris had what he refers to as his “aha” moment. “I realized it was working,” he says. Although there were still some bumps along the way, he stayed with the program — and successfully completed it.

For Chris, sobriety was just the beginning. He felt a need to give back, and so joined The Salvation Army. Today, he works at another Salvation Army shelter. “I help men in the same situation I was once in,” he says. “I understand the brokenness that so many of them feel.”

Chris has also reconnected with most of his family, and in a way, he’s continuing a family tradition.

“My family has always been in the military, all the way back to the Mayflower,” he explains. “I was supposed to serve in the military, too — but because of my addiction, that didn’t happen. But now, I’m a soldier in The Salvation Army,” he smiles.

“The Salvation Army is one of the greatest organizations that’s ever come into my life,” Chris declares. “They changed my life 100 percent!”

It’s your support that helps change lives like C hris’s. Through your generosity, you walk with people in need, helping them along the path back to positive, productive lives. God bless you for caring.

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