Solutions October 2018 | Page 34

immoral behavior set free. DreamLife Because of his love and compassion for troubled and disenfranchised yo u t h , Ed d i e h a s e s t a b l i s h e d a rehabilitation and restoration program for young people coming out of street gangs, substance abuse, physical abuse, sexual perversions, and such. DreamLife, designed for high school and college-aged youth, seeks to restore those who are broken, have lost hope, and are missing their sense of purpose in life. Though drug addiction is the most common problem these young people face, the DreamLife program is also designed to combat issues such as gang violence, depression, cutting, and attempted suicide. By seeking the redemptive power of God’s love and the healing presence of the Savior, these students find freedom and healing. Centers are now springing up across the East Coast, and there are plans to expand in the coming years to other areas, both domestically and internationally. The DreamLife Restoration Program operates under six main principles: 1 ) G o d - E n c o u n t e r: T h e importance of a personal relationship with God that replaces the passions that had taken root in the mind and hearts before entering the program; 2) Relationship Development: Applies the principles of character development in order to build relationships first with other DreamLife participants and those in authority; 3) Faith: Strongly rooted in faith in Jesus Christ, the DreamLife Program applies the Bible and prayer as its primary source of rehabilitation and restoration, believing that when people find faith, they find strength, hope, and ultimately healing; 4) Work Program: Students are required to work a fixed number of hours every week during their enrollment, to learn responsibility and develop a sense of fulfillment in the ownership and completion of their tasks; Eddie incorporated some of the methods and concepts he learned while working under the leadership of Angel Rosa at Phoenix Teen Challenge into the DreamLife program. DreamLife 34 • Solutions 5) Character Development: This process involves teaching and application of what is taught through their interaction with others in the program and their leaders and involves