The Story of Trevor

Written by Kelly Luttinen

Christians serve a God who gives second chances, even third chances and beyond. (See Matthew 18:21-22)  One of the beneficiaries of Better Way Detroit (BWD) knows this truth well.

Trevor (not his real name) found himself unemployed after quitting his job. “I quit my job because the employer was treating me very disrespectfully,” he said. “Once I quit, I couldn’t get unemployment (benefits). I understand I made a mistake.”

Consequently, he was unable to afford rent, and he did not want to live with any of the people from his past life. “I am a former drug addict, and one key to conquering drug addiction is staying away from negative people,” he said. “I didn’t want to stay with people who were doing illegal things. I had no other option but to go to the homeless shelter.”

One part of Trevor’s life was working in his favor. He was building a closer relationship with God. “I haven’t touched drugs for many years, and it’s because I seek refuge in God. I’ve tried to keep God first every day.”

His faith led him to find support through BWD, and the organization helped him find employment again. He now works full time for a company in Detroit.

“I so appreciate BWD because I could do some work, and escape from the homeless shelter environment,” he said. “It felt very good working outside in the community. Most importantly, I greatly appreciate that BWD was able to find me a full-time job. After six months there, I got a better paying job.”