Bienvenido F
I grew up in a dysfunctional family, the oldest of 4 children. Both my mother and father were alcoholics and never spoke about the Lord. Despite this, the Lord had his eye on me. I met the the Lord at the age of seven and walked with Him until my forty’s. A painful experience in my life caused me to walk away from the Lord. I lost everything so I turned to drugs to fill the emptiness in my heart for 18 years. God had mercy on me and I found Brooklyn Teen Challenge. Healing has taken place since coming into this program and God has transformed into the man He created; for His purpose. I am learning life Biblical principles and applying them in my life in order to become mentally and emotionally strong in Jesus Christ.
Isaac H
I grew up in foster care so I always had a hole that I was trying with fill with drugs, alcohol, and sexual immorality. My entire life I was running from God until I came to Brooklyn Adult & Teen Challenge, and was introduced personally to his love and grace. When I finally confessed with my mouth and believed in my heart Jesus Christ was my Lord and Savior everything changed for the better. He started to change my heart and mind and I know he will bring it to completion because his word says he will and he’s definitely faithful and trustworthy.
What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Mark 8:36
Wayne S
My name is Wayne, I’m 55 and I grew up in a small town in New Jersey and had a great childhood and was raised good by loving parents. Alcohol didn’t play a part in my family life but unfortunately it got a hold of me and I relapsed after 17 years of sobriety. Luckily by God’s will I found BKATC and found out God can work miracles and have been saved by Christ. Today I’m proud to say I celebrated 1 year of sobriety on January 28 Amen and God bless.
Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching. Proverbs 1:8
Daniel C
My name is Daniel C. and I'm 29 years old. I grew up in a dysfunctional house like many. Being outdoors was no comfort either as I was physically and verbally abused by my peers, resulting in severe depression and anxiety. I never spoke a word of this to anyone. At age 19, my father was the only person I ever fought to protect my family. He was removed from the house and passed about a year later as an addict. In 2020, my mother passed to her lifelong battle with cancer and so my depression and anxiety turned into alcoholism and self-isolation for the next 5 years. It was common for me to drink a bottle of whiskey a day. Since coming to Brooklyn Adult and Teen Challenge, I have finally found comfort in the love of God. I've spent my life believing I was alone in deserving of it, but now I look forward to a life I've never imagined.
Josh K
I had a rough childhood a mother who hated men, a father who spent most of his life in prison and gangs. They both decided to take me, my twin sister and older sister away from the big city life, stop the drugs and drinking and give us a better life. They did for the most part. My father tried to love, my mother tried to encourage, there was still damage. I started drinking and drugging at 12 years old. By God’s will never ended up in prison but have been arrested and charged with every charge possible. At 36 I called out to Jesus, asked who he is? 47 years old he sent me to Brooklyn Adult & Teen Challenge where for seven months I have learned Jesus wants me as a drug and alcohol biblical counselor. I am not married or have any children so I will dedicate the rest of my life to Christ here in Brooklyn.
Danny A
As a child I grew up in a dysfunctional but loving household, I was the youngest of five and I was spoiled and protected by both parents and my siblings. I was a shy and introverted sort of kid. The fact that I was sexually molested three times did not help matters any less. My battle with drugs and alcohol did not come into the picture until I was about 30 years old. It was at that time, that I had a 25 year career with crack and meth. The addiction got so bad that I began to lose myself and my true identity in the fallen nature of my sin. When I walked thru the doors of Teen Challenge in 2015, I began to truly have a relationship with Christ Jesus and I began to forgive, love and be the true identity that I had always had in Christ
Darryn O
My name is Darren Orosco. I'm 35 years old. I was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV. I have an older sister who graduated from Teen Challenge in Southern California and has been clean ever since, she told me about the program and explained that there are Teen Challenge programs all around the country and the world. Through me wanting to change and my family urging me. I did some research and read a book written by David Wilkerson called The Cross and the Switchblade. I decided to join the Adult and Teen Challenge in Brooklyn, NY which is the original location of the Adult and Teen Challenge ministry. I look forward to completing this program and learning about New York and most importantly, I look forward to working on my spiritual life, studying scriptures and getting closer to the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Luis M
Hello, my name is Luis Medrano. I am 46 years old. I spent half my life in prison, and I am a former gang member. After being released from prison, I came to New York to start a new life. I went through the shelter system, and I couldn't adjust. I was institutionalized. I got addicted to drugs and almost lost my life many times. While I was in the hospital about to lose my left leg, I found Jesus Christ as I sat in the hospital for two months. The Almighty God pointed me towards Brooklyn Adult and Teen Challenge whereby the grace of God, He restored my physical, mental and spiritual being to 100%. and I am a prime example of that there is a god named Jesus Christ the Almighty.
Junior M
My name is Junior Martinez. I am Dominican. I have been in B.A.T.C. for some time, as well as in the U.S.A., in this country. I only had the presence of my dad, who raised me as both father and mother, although we were never in the same place. My real mother is in the Dominican Republic. My two younger sisters live here, and my 14-year-old son is in Santo Domingo, which is why I am here — for him. I sacrifice myself for my sisters, whom I love, and my only son, who I don’t want to see go through this.
Adan S.
Hello, my name is Adan. I am 21 and raised in Toms River, NJ. I come from a complicated family that taught me about God throughout my life, but I never really took it in. At 17 I left home and started my wild ride. I got arrested at 21 and by the grace of God my father convinced the judge to let me attend Brooklyn Adult and Teen Challenge. I have now found God, and he is teaching me the right way to do things, giving me a solid foundation to build the rest of my life on.
David L
Hello, my name is David and I’m from Boston, Masschuset. I had a really good childhood growing up being the middle of 6 siblings. My addiction began at the age of 12 when my oldest brother was killed while serving in the US Coast Guard. With countless ups and downs along the way. I was introduced to the love of God in a unique way. It was in a jail cell where a copy of the Cross and The Switchblade slid under my door. I knew I needed something more than myself to help me. Today, I still need all the help I can get.
David O
My name is David O. I had a pretty difficult and beautiful life. I went through a lot when I was a child that led to drinking and drug usage. Jesus played a major role in my life mainly because of my mother. During all my mess my mother displayed so many Christ-like characteristics that I couldn't deny He was real. Now I'm in Brooklyn Adult & Teen Challenge and I'm looking forward to seeing all that I learned from this experience.
Frank N
My name is Frank, in 1997 while I while drinking I blacked out and was struck by two cars on Sunrise Highway. Now I have multiple injuries that led to a pill addiction. In 1998 I was introduced to Adult and Teen Challenge, where I learned about Jesus and the Holy Bible. Since then, God's word has been transforming my life and strengthening my relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Mike S
Hello, my name is Michael Schwarz. I grew up in Long Island, NY and spent my teenage years growing up in the early 1980s. I began using drugs at the age of 21. I was introduced to drugs at a very vulnerable time in my life by someone very close to me. Little did I know that I would become addicted to it from the very first time I used it. After many years and many failed attempts to try to overcome my dependency on cocaine. I was then introduced to the faith-based drug recovery program known as Brooklyn Adult and Teen Challenge where I am now recovering in the faith in the gospel concerning Jesus Christ.
Aaron D.
I was raised in a small Texas town by a very loving Christian family. After college I decided to join the U.S. Navy and experienced some traumatic events that changed my perspective of life. Eventually, my life reached a breaking point. I found myself homeless on the streets of Manhattan—alone, broken, and without direction. But even in the darkest of places, God had not abandoned me. It was there, in the midst of my despair, that I was introduced to a ministry called Brooklyn Adult and Teen Challenge. Through their compassion and the power of the gospel, I was given something I hadn’t felt in a long time: hope. That moment marked the beginning of a new chapter—a journey of healing, redemption, and restoration.