Not long ago, there wasn’t much hope for Edgardo Velazquez. His body, mind and spirit had been ravaged by illness and drugs.
So it was a proud day Sunday when Velazquez was among graduates of the House of Hope recovery program.
“God has saved me,” Velazquez said.
His mother and sister, who attended the ceremony at New Covenant United Methodist Church in The Villages, agreed.
It was a sentiment shared by fellow graduates and their families.
“House of Hope has experienced an amazing year,” said Samuel Cotto, who heads the program.
Cotto, himself a recovering addict, admitted he was losing hope not so long ago when the program sorely needed support.
Today, the once dilapidated, decaying campus near the Florida Turnpike in Wildwood is being renovated by volunteers, many of them from The Villages.
Formerly known as Youth Challenge, House of Hope is a non-profit, Christian, residential substance abuse recovery program in Wildwood. House of Hope offers services free of charge and have an open door policy that welcomes men of all ages from every walk of life without regard to ethnic or racial background. House of Hope is dedicated to helping individuals reclaim their lives from the destruction of addictive behaviors, healing families and making better communities.
Sitting in the audience Sunday was David Shaw who is still fairly new to the program. He has struggled with addiction issues.
Attending with him were his father, mother and 14-month-old daughter, Lori Lynn Grace.
“We can see God’s work here,” said David’s mother, Terri Shaw of Deland. “Now we have hope.”
