In His Own Words: Dewayne's Story

A year ago this week, Dewayne Ghoston became a Christian. This is his story.

I was raised in a house of four sisters and a single parent mom. My father was an addict on crack back in the 80's when it first hit the south. I've seen my mom being abused many times so as for me coming up I vow to myself that I'll never put my hands on a lady. Seeing my mom always struggling growing up I promised my mom that I was going to get us out of the projects (hood, ghetto). As I got older I realized that I completely underestimated how hard that was to do. Later on around the age of twelve, I was first introduced to marijuana through an uncle. Sometime later at the age of fifteen or sixteen, I first tried selling it but didn't know how to manage my money so that didn't last long. By being in the streets I learned to become a professional thief including selling drugs on the streets. In so many words, I became a slave to MONEY. I've destroyed many lives of others yet at the same time I was destroying my soul.

I was really confused at this point in my life. I was in and out my mom's house because she wasn't tolerating me running the streets while living under her roof. So feeling rejected I began to hide behind my emotions by robbing throughout my community. A bunch of people wanted me dead so at all times and most places I carried a gun for safety. The age of 18 I picked the drugs back up and learned the drug game. I went by the name "Ghost" on the streets, which meant "can't nobody see me (touch me)." In other words I thought I was God. By me being in and out of jail that became a third home for me.

The previous time I was incarcerated I began to open my eyes to life after I received information on my sister being robbed at gun point. Of course I was hurt by the fact I wasn't there to protect her. Here, at this point in life, I finally felt as God was trying to tell me to slow down. Eleven months later they decided to release me. My focus was on doing whatever I could possibly do to stay out of harms way. I started my search of a job and after getting rejected dozens of times I began to sink in discouragement. Weeks later I discovered an organization called "Advance Memphis" which focuses on furthering adult education. Going through the programs I was introduced to the gospel in a different form which led me to realize how broken and in need of a savior I was. On June 8th in the year 2009 I confessed to Christ that I trusted and believed that he is the song of God, repented on my sins and asked him to save me and to take me as I am.

Since then I can honestly say that the Lord has changed me. He has transformed my heart and renewed my mind with the desires to wanting to serve him instead of chasing after worldly desires. In conclusion the reason why I'm seeking this position is because it's a great opportunity to serve God's Kingdom making Christ known while also growing closer to him through my experiences of offering my body to him as a living sacrifice.

PS Thanks for taking the time out to allow me to share the majority of my testimony which led me to Christ with you.

Dewayne Ghoston

A Brief Response to the New York Times Article

If you're a Memphian and haven't yet read "The New Poor: Blacks in Memphis Lose Decades of Economic Gains," then you should do so. But after you do, there are a couple things we want to tell you.

First, we want you to know that despite the injustice and poverty present in Memphis, Advance Memphis is seeing unemployed and low-income Memphians FIND HOPE. We see this in many ways, but this week hope came in the form of an internal report on the status of our Mercy Loans. We use Mercy Loans to help graduates avert a crisis; they help graduates avoid check cashing loans and other usorious options. Of 18 loans issued this year, 13 have already been repaid. Of the remaining 5, only 2 are in default; 3 are active and in good standing. People in the poorest urban zip code in Tennessee are repaying loans (and saving for assets, see below).

Second, we want you to know that you can join us in supporting CHANGE in Memphis. Residents of the poorest urban zip code in Tennessee are working to improve their educations, find jobs, save for assets, and become economically independent. Contributing to Advance provides job readiness and workforce development for neighborhood residents. It provides GED tutoring, employment options, budget counseling and more. Contributing specifically to our IDA Program provides matching dollars for savings accounts used to purchase capacity building assets (below, see Darlene Gandy with the car she purchased through the IDA Program.)

Psalm 82:3-4 (The Message)
"Enough! You've corrupted justice long enough, you've let the wicked get away with murder. You're here to defend the defenseless, to make sure that underdogs get a fair break; Your job is to stand up for the powerless, and prosecute all those who exploit them."

Neighbors

A neighbor brought my family some groceries earlier this week. We weren't lacking food, she just thought she would help us out a bit. It's not uncommon for her to drop by to talk, drop off a pot of chili or some tasty dessert. This time was a little different. She shared a story with my wife. When she was younger she hit hard times as a single mom with her first baby. Food almost seemed like a luxury. She told Lily (my wife) how she used to just pray and pray that her baby would keep sleeping, because if he woke up he would want to eat and her cupboards were all but empty. As a parent of a toddler, I can't imagine how hopeless and painful that must be. Her first night in public housing was one of the rough ones--nothing to eat. But thankfully, one of her neighbors stopped by and invited them to dinner. To hear her tell it, it was an angel! And given the circumstances, I think that thoughtful neighbor did show the love of God in a tangible way, like an angel. That night, she made a vow to God that she would always be good to her neighbors. And I am willing to testify as well as others in our building that she is indeed making good on that.

When Lily told me about this conversation, I cried. I was overwhelmed by this sweet lady's care for others amidst a still hard life (both she and her mom have substantial health problems). I am also convicted. How many ways do I fail to be a neighbor to those around me? How much more do I fail to be a neighbor to those that I don't come across on a daily basis, those folks I avoid? The amazing thing is that I have even greater reason to be grateful than my neighbor. I have never felt the awful hopelessness of not being able to feed my child, my wife, or myself. I have been blessed with access to all the necessities (and many luxuries) as well as a strong social support system that would readily and quickly provide anything I lacked.

Why don't I feel the same gut level gratefulness for God's blessings that my neighbor does? In fact, why doesn't the church feel that level of compassion? Why don't all of us who follow Jesus have deeper gratefulness for all the LORD has given us and seek to spread that blessing to others? Sometimes I think we might look like Israel did, called to be a blessing to the nations, and not only failing in our charge, but also failing to understand how blessed we really are. The LORD has used this sweet lady not only to bring blessing in my family's life, but conviction and a better understanding of how we should go about building his Kingdom.

Brandon Russell
brandon@advancememphis.org

"We Find the Rich Life We Were Meant to Live All Along"

Ramona Soileau (left, with Catrina White) has been volunteering at Advance Memphis for about a year. She serves as a small group leader--just a few hours a month--but those hours greatly affect the women with whom she meets. Ramona has blessed our students, and been blessed herself, by being an ambassador for Christ's love. Here are her thoughts on her experiences before and after volunteering at Advance:

I, for one, am overwhelmed by the destruction portrayed on the 6 o'clock news. I oscillate between disbelief and apathy. My own demanding responsibilities leave me weary at times and I certainly have no extra energy reserves to channel toward hopeless situations. Who am I to stand against the avalanche of such despair? Exhausted from my own treadmill of endless "to do" lists, I feel powerless to affect a culture bent on self -destruction.

Then I met Christie and Tangie, two students at Advance. They struggled to overcome many issues but mostly with rewriting the messages of worthlessness and mediocrity stamped in them from birth. I was privileged to witness the birth of a miracle -- prayer, encouragement, and the gospel gave rise to a new song full of hope and promise to their thirsty souls. The music echoed in my heart as well.

We are not meant to be reservoirs of God's goodness, damned up rivers of life, but rather conduits of His mercy, streams of refreshment. His Spirit is too great to be contained and must flow through us to other vessels. By sharing His freedom, we find meaning, purpose and strength for ourselves as well. We find the rich life we were meant to live all along.

"...pressed down, shaken together, and running over." Luke 6: 38

A New Family

A few weeks ago, I received a call from a friend and graduate of the JFL Program saying that she was in the hospital and was not going to make it up to Advance Memphis that day. Although I could not go to the hospital right then, I was determined to go visit with her as soon as possible.

The next day, I called to make sure she was still in the hospital and asked another friend of ours who graduated with her to go with me to visit her and see how she was doing.

When we got there, our friend was looking horrible. The only time I ever remember going to the hospital was to be with family members, especially grandparents. Sitting in that hospital room, I was so aware that day of my family in Christ. Moving to Memphis several hours away from my immediate family was also never more obvious. I realized that even though my parents, brother and sister, are far away how truly blessed I have been this year. My friend is my family. While she is 25 years older than me, black, not white, and from completely different worlds, we both have the same God that deeply loves us.

I rejoice in the fact that even though I am miles away from those I love, He has given me a view of what He desires His family look like. I cannot wait for the day when we all stand before the throne reconciled praising our God.

"After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb." Revelation 7:9

julie@advancememphis.org

No Snow Days for Our Staffing Service!

Last Friday night (March 29) as Mother Nature showed her stuff, I was very apprehensive about having no one show up for work on the 3^rd shift at KTG. The regular Team Lead was out and I had asked one of the other team members, Rico Harris (Big Brim, pictured above with Ann), to step up to the plate and act as Lead until her return. He readily accepted this task and was the person who rang my phone around 11:20PM telling me that only he and TWO others had shown up so far. I made several phone calls, all to no avail – and had to end up calling Rico back with the news that those three workers would be on their own.

With a team of only three employees when the norm is eight - Rico Harris, Annie Osby and Junior Davis worked diligently throughout the night and completed the shift. Annie, being the only female, stepped up and coordinated the process – giving the guys instructions as to what she needed them to do while she did all of the palletizing. To put this into perspective, production for a team of eight is 75-80 pallets per shift. Annie completed 43 alone! BRIM, ANNIE and JUNIOR - You three showed leadership and dedication. These are qualities that would make any employer proud. Great job!

Juanita Johnson
juanita@advancememphis.org

Friday News Update

UNBANKED TO BANKED: More Than 40 Graduates Open Bank Accounts

In the last 2 months, more than 40 of our Jobs for Life grads and Staffing Service employees have opened bank accounts with Independent Bank. None of these individuals have ever had bank accounts before. Now they are in a position to deposit and cash checks without paying a fee, and to begin saving.

When did you open your first bank account? Did you open it on your own, or did someone open it for you, and put some money in it to get you started? Have you ever considered how your bank has helped you with major purchases? Have you thought about how essential a checking account is in your day to day life?

Here are some things we've heard people say upon opening account:

"I just walked into a bank for the first time. You know I never had a bank account before."

"He said they were even gonna send me a bank card and checks in the mail."

We thank Independent Bank for helping with this daunting process, and we praise God that so many grads have taken a significant step towards financial independence.

Washington Scholar Graduates from UT

In the early years of Advance Memphis's ministry, we operated a program called Washington Scholars, where excellent students from Booker T. Washington Highschool, here in the neighborhood, were chosen to participate in internships and job training. Scholars then received a scholarship to use towards college, as well as a guaranteed paid internship with Advance Memphis after graduation. While we've discontinued the Washington Scholars program in order to focus our efforts entirely on adults, we're so pleased to share that one of our Scholars, Michael Russom, has graduated from the University of Tennessee, and is now serving his internship here at Advance. He has also been offered a position with Nashville City Schools, with the Nashville Teaching Fellows. We're proud of all Michael has accomplished, we're grateful for his work at Advance Memphis, and we wish him well as he goes on to a career in teaching!