My Name is Adrian Donell Brown, I was born in Harlem, but grew up in the South Bronx. My mom always kept me in Church since a young age, but when I got old enough she wanted me to choose God for myself. In 2019 my brother passed away due to gun violence. This took me down a dark path, I started abusing drugs, always playing the block, coming home at crazy hours. Had my mom really worried about me. Most times she wouldn’t sleep until I came home. As a Brother of 4 siblings. 3 sisters and 1 brother. I felt like I had to be the man of the house and step up. I didn’t even know what being a man meant. So I just did what I seen in the streets. Come to found out that is far from what a man is. With all the pressure and unchecked emotions building up, plus smoking Weed everyday. I ended up losing my mind. I landed in my first mental institution at Harlem Hospital at the age of 17. Me and my mom and sister got into a really bad argument in the hospital, and they said I couldn’t leave. They sedated me, and I woke up in a bed I wasn’t familiar with(side note: My father drove 5-8 hours to see me the same day I went in. It was past visiting hours, I was still half drugged so I honestly thought it was a dream). At first I thought I was in jail, so I instantly started doing push ups. I went to the day room, and a man much older than me told me where I was. I was the youngest there. The older men were surprised. Them knowing my age softened their hearts a little to were we had these great conversations telling each other our stories. I talked to a worker in the hospital. He told me if I didn’t leave the path I was going behind I was going to end up in the same position. To be honest I walked out smiling, thinking I was off the hook. I instantly brought some weed. I landed myself back in another mental institution called Bronx care. There were kids my age in this hospital, so I was able to relate and realize that my story was far from the worst. It made me grateful and it opened my heart up a little. I was in this Hospital for a month. The first half of my time I had no intention of changing my ways. But God he came to me, and he told me I had to. Even when God came to me, I still wanted to smoke weed and play the block with my friends. My back was against the wall. It was many nights I cried for all the sins and bad decisions I had made. I realized that nobody is coming to save me. I had to change my life for my self. So when I got out I started going to therapy. I was taking my medication on time. I was opening myself up back to God. Through this time of isolation, God was building me back up because I had destroyed myself. indulging in things that didn’t serve me. pouring water into things that didn’t pour back into me. God started to bless me in ways I didn’t think I needed. The next year, I became class representative, Prom King, and I graduated with Honors. I got accepted into North Carolina Central University. Where I met friends that I didn’t think I needed. Learnt a lot from experiencing new things. We have ministries on campus. I found a Chruch called Summit. Summit is giving me a opportunity to go out of the country, and spread the gospel to people who don’t have access to the gospel. This is something God’s been really putting on my heart to do. This opportunity cost 5,000. To be honest I need help. The help doesn’t have to be in the form of Money. Even if it’s just a prayer and words of encouragement as I embark on this journey. Anything will help. If you made it this far, I want to say I love you! I didn’t think in a million years I’ll be here, but I kept God as my rock and he made a way. It wasn’t easy, but with God in my life it was all worth it. I just want to let anyone reading this know, whatever move, plan or goal you have. It is all possible. Don’t count yourself out. Just because you feel like you in a bad position don’t mean that the tables can’t turn at any point.

(stay blessed!!)