Hello and God Bless! My name is Elwood Washington and I am 47 years old. I was born in the South Bronx section of New York City. I am the second oldest of 4 from my mothers second marriage in addition to 3 other siblings from her first marriage. My mother was a stay at home mom while my father worked. In spite of the appearance our home was extremely dysfunctional. It’s no wonder because our neighborhood was also extremely dysfunctional and I think that had an impact on the mindset of our home. At any given time things could take a turn for the worst in our home. My mother’s love of card games brought other women into our home catering to my fathers roaming eyes thus cultivating a breeding ground for fights. These were not just yelling matches they were boxing matches. I often saw my mother beaten and bruised from my father’s extreme anger.

 

At the age of 9 I found my heart filled with desire to kill my father. I can remember thinking that no kid should have to see their mother beaten by their father. I accredit this to my rebelling. I entered into a time in my life where I rebelled and rebelled hard. This would last many years and have a devastating impact on my life. It was then when I took my first drag of a cigarette, the next year at the age of 10 I would have my first drink. I stole cigarettes from my mothers pack and drank the left over beer that was un-drank from the big card games my mother would have. This stealing in my home gave way to the stealing of anything I could get my hands on. Of course this type of behavior would only lead to worst activity…

 

At the age of 14 I began to dive into the gang life. My neighborhood was a Mecca for these types of people. It was then that I join my first gang. This led me to a greater rebellion against any and all authority. At the age of 16 I experienced the death of my best friend, a payback for something we did left me wondering and thinking about the life I was leading. I knew I had to change.

 

At the age of 19 I joined the Army, I believed it was the change that I needed and it was, but after the Army I found myself back in the Bronx doing the same things that I had previously done in my early years. It was at this point when I began to sell drugs. This lucrative business proved to be much more profitable than working a regular job. A few years later things would change for the worst (as if selling drugs was not bad enough). I found myself getting hooked to the very poison I had been distributing to others. Cocaine began to wrap its greedy little hands around me and became a habit, then an addiction. I found myself running from job to job or store to store stealing for my addiction. This life would go on into my mid 40’s.

 

There is one thing I wan you to understand. I always believed I was good or lucky at what I was doing, but little did I know I was living on borrowed time. It would all come crashing down in October 2007 when I lost my family, car and shelter. I found myself alone, down, broken and penniless. I finally looked up to God and cried out to Him asking Him to take this God forsaken addiction from me. Well, He answered and led me to the steps of Youth Challenge. It was within these walls where God changed my life. I never once felt love like the way the Lord loved me there. God used Youth Challenge to restore my family, health and life. I have been and am still being blessed beyond belief. Needless to say, going to Youth Challenge was the best decision I ever made.

 

I truly believe that God answers all prayers and wants the best for all of us. Life is so much better, and I owe this life to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! If it were not for Him I would have never been prompted to go to Youth Challenge. It was there at youth Challenge where I found the guidance that led me to the cross of Christ. They saw me as a child of God and not just a simple Crack Head!