Braedyn – HPC Adult Housing Success

Braedyn came into our program in January 2024.

Braedyn’s Journey in His Own Words:

“Before coming here, I was surrounded by a lot of darkness. I had lost my house, was in an abusive relationship, and struggled with addiction. I found myself in a trap house, full of drugs, needles, drug deals, and danger. There was a baby who called me dad, the son of the girl I was with, and he was in that trap house too. Being around him, I realized that I didn’t want that life.

When I was a child, I used addiction to raise myself. When I used drugs, I got my first job. That’s how I built my life and learned how to pay for things. When I met that little boy, I realized that didn’t work anymore. I didn’t want to model that lifestyle for anyone.

Soon after, I got to know God. God supported me and kept me safe. I practiced hearing from God on quiet walks and learned what His voice sounded like. One day, as I was walking around, asking God to guide and lead me, I walked past a sign for a job opening. I began to work at Amazon, and every day as I rode my bike to work, I would pass the HPC apartments, not realizing that’s where I would end up staying.

One day, someone picked me up and took me to the library; it turns out he had gone to Hillcrest. Then someone else mentioned Hillcrest, so I signed up. Then someone who goes to church with me said, ‘Try Hillcrest,’ and specifically mentioned Hillcrest Platte County. I knew that was the Hillcrest for me. I heard a voice and knew this is where I was supposed to be.

After couch surfing for months, I arrived at HPC.

During my journey at HPC, there was a garnishment on my paycheck that put me back into an addiction mindset because that’s how I had learned to cope. I hit my knees in my apartment praying, and I reached out to God to remind me why I was at HPC, why I was sober. I felt the power of God, and it calmed me down. I was reassured that I was in the right place.

It hit me: this place cares about me. I can’t fail. My case manager is not going to let me fail, HPC is not going to let me fail, God is not going to let me fail, God brought me here. I wept like never before. I realized that I had never let something outside myself care about me, I had never let God care about me, I had never let my mom care about me.

The power came from letting people care about me. I had never experienced that before.

A Maverick City Music quote that helps when I’m feeling fear, and that I live by now: ‘Hello peace, hello joy, hello love, hello strength, hello hope, it’s a new horizon, fear is not my future – You are, sickness is not my story – You are, heartbreak is not my home – You are, death is not the end Jesus – You are.’

Now, I am 100% debt-free.”