I came to the Graham Campus struggling with addiction.  I remember being told I couldn't smoke cigarettes, and that was more overwhelming than anything.  I was really scared the first day, and I remember asking if I could have anything else like a patch. The staff said "No, its the power of prayer that will take that craving away."  I thought they were all crazy.

My name is Neal, I am 19 years old, and I grew up in Salem, Oregon. When I was a year old my dad went to prison for the first 12 years of my life. My mom left me when I was born, so my aunt and uncle took me in. I finally met my real mom, my older sister, and my two younger brothers for the first time when I turned 14. At that time I also met my older brother for the first and last time. Shortly after I met him he turned 18, and on his 18th birthday he got hit by a car and died. I held a lot of hurt and anger inside because my parents were not there for me.    

I am 20 years old, and I was born in Seattle but raised both here and in Southern California. Before Teen Challenge and Jesus, I was literally living in a tent under a bridge in downtown Seattle. Like most tragic stories, I experimented with drugs and alcohol at a very young age, but would consider the age of 11 as the start of my addiction. I could tell you stories that could be used as a script of a horror movie, but I would rather tell you what God has done in my life since I've surrendered to Him.

My name is Matt, and I am 32 years old from Snohomish, Washington. I dropped out of high school my Junior year. I went to work in the construction industry. I leveraged my construction skills through the real estate boom by flipping houses. Pride blurred my vision and my partying turned to bigger risks. I soon found OxyContin which ultimately lead to intravenous Heroin use. I lost multiple homes to foreclosure, cars repossessed and the collapse of my business. Within twelve months I found myself no longer living in my luxurious home but rather residing in a tent.