Would you trust a group of men with a proven track record of deceit, broken promises, and selfish actions? Would you trust a group of men that recently could not even trust themselves? If you answered no, then you may have just missed out on a huge blessing.
The residents of His Way are men that have been trapped in addiction. These are men that have shown themselves to be unreliable and self-serving, at least in recent years. They are also the very men I decided to trust when I was recently raising money for Make-A-Wish.
And oh my, how they responded and proved themselves worthy of that trust! I went to the residents (approximately 40 men) and challenged them to donate $300 toward Make-A-Wish. We gave them just over a month to donate what they could. When I picked up the envelope at the end of the time period, the donation totaled $1220. This response was such an incredible blessing to me, to others who know them, and to Make-A-Wish Alabama.
Why was this time different from the past? Why did these men respond and serve the wishes of others instead of their own wants? The timing is critical. These men were trapped in addiction. They are now in recovery. This is what repentance and a new direction looks like. This is what a restored life looks like. This is what productive members of society do. And this is what the men of His Way have done.
Jesus Christ changes those that choose to follow His lead. His Way is a Christ-centered recovery program. God is a giver. Jesus Christ showed us how to follow the Father. Therefore, those that claim to follow Christ will become givers as we learn to follow God.
Most of the residents entered His Way with very little money in their pockets or accounts. Their first 30-60 days in the program are set aside for introspection and instruction. When they do get jobs, most earn slightly above minimum wage. Many have family members and/or other financial obligations to cover with their limited income. I do not personally know who gave what amount, but I have been told that the residents gave generously. Some even gave most of the money they had at the time.
Their sacrifices remind me of the widow and her two mites as told in the gospels of Mark and Luke. These men truly gave out of their poverty. They received a great sense of joy in experiencing what a productive life can do for others. Their actions bring glory to God.
Recovery and restoration are possible. Trust that has been lost can be restored. These men were wanting a chance to prove themselves. I gave them that chance, and they did not disappoint. They exceeded the expectations of everyone. These men provided a blessing to Make-A-Wish with their sacrificial donation. Seeing their joy in giving was also a blessing to those of us that know and love these men.
His Way Volunteer 
Scott Martin