Branch of Hope

“I ended up addicted to cocaine. I used it for a long time. In February of 2007, I over dozed. And I almost died. Ambulance came and put me in a hospital and I was on a life support machines for about 6 hours. When I got out a hospital my wife wanted me to get help, to get rehabilitation.”

His name is Tony Wiley, he is a contractor, he builds houses. He also runs a non-profit organization, Branch of Hope, helping homeless, alcoholics, drug addicts and ex prisoners recover and get back to the society. Just a few miles away from Water Valley, a little off the High Way 7, there is where Branch of Hope is.

It was founded back in 2007, the same year when Mr. Wiley almost died of over dozing with cocaine. After the rehabilitation, he went back home to his family; a wife and 2 children. But not all men that he met at the rehabilitation had a place to go back to. A friend asked him if he could stay with him for a few days after the rehabilitation. Mr. Wiley invited him to his house. A week later, he had a one more man staying. That’s how everything started.. Mr. Wiley had his family living in the house, so he started building a new one.

Today, Mr. Wiley has a brand new house for his clients. More than 80 men have gone through Branch of Hope “transition” program. All men involved in a recovery program have to attend church services of their choice, 12 step meetings, morning meditations and weekly goal setting meetings. They all work towards the same goal, recovery and getting back to the society.

Right now, Branch of Hope has 16 men on the recovery program. Michel Norman, 21, a blond guy, has just got here a couple of days ago. He is from Texas. Looking at him with a baseball hat covering his blond curls, talking in a way any 21-year-old boy could talk, you would never be able to tell who this guy was. Nor what is his story.

“I started using drugs when he was 11. First time I did it, I did it with my Mum “ said Michel who has been realized from prison not long ago, and spent two months being homeless, before coming to the Branch of Hope.

Michael gesticulates a lot while talking, and what strike you are the tattoos. Two faces looking straight to you when he raises his hands.

“These are gang tattoos. This one says “Laugh now, cry never”. It was like, never show no emotions towards nobody. Worry about myself and that’s it. And as long as I am good with myself, I’m alright. But I have realized that I can’t think like that. Because my way wasn’t working. So, I have to change. And it’s gonna take time. I’m gonna change the way I’m thinking and how I am. “

Mr. Wiley is said he was proud that all men who went through the program so far had made it back to the society. The majority had found jobs and integrated back to the society.

“A month ago I got a phone call about 8 o’clock at night. It was Parker. A little cocaine addict, who I didn’t think would last a week, he wanted to thank me. For allowing God to use me to turn his life around. And he just had graduated. And he is a servant in a Navy now. That night, that call was probably what gets me going. It’s what counts. Turning someone from a cocaine addict on the street to a soldier in our military. “