Birmingham’s Class 2023.3 was a historic class for many reasons. Not only was it the largest graduating class in the history of the Birmingham campus with ten people earning diplomas, but it was also the first class to have a set of three siblings graduate from a HIM class. Below are the individual stories of how Tommy Wilson, Stephen Wilson, and Kara Lemonds joined the HIM class, experienced life transformation, and got fulfilling jobs.
Tommy Wilson
Tommy was barely making ends meet as a musician, working part-time jobs that were unfulfilling and unsustainable. He did not know where to go or what to do, but he knew that something needed to change. When he received the HIM postcard in the mail, he decided to take a leap of faith and join the program. He mentioned it to his family, and was surprised to find out that both of his older siblings were planning on attending as well!
Throughout the course of the class, Tommy admits that “Hope Inspired Ministries taught me the value of pushing myself out of my comfort zone in a way nothing else had. Just like a rubber band being stretched further and further with each pull, I saw myself growing in confidence, in work ethic, in leadership, and in Christ”. This growth revealed what he wanted to pursue for a career, and now works for the YMCA Shades Valley Branch, a nonprofit that he truly believes is making a difference. He is excited to be a part of that impact by interacting with every individual that walks in their doors as a front desk worker.
Stephen Wilson
Throughout his life, Stephen struggled with being himself and tried to “be everything for everyone”. While it seemed like life was great on the outside, he was riddled with overwhelming shame on the inside. This shame led him to a life of constant change, moving from relationship to relationship and job to job out of fear that someone may look deeper than the surface-level to find imperfection in his life. After a stint of unemployment, he also saw the HIM postcard and while he was unsure of what it would do to help his situation, he figured that it could potentially give him insight for potential next steps.
Stephen has served with nonprofit organizations in the past, and initially found it weird to be on the receiving end of a nonprofit’s services as a HIM student. “It was a humbling experience in many ways,” he said, “not only going from servant to being served, but I also knew there was no way that I would get the help that I needed if I wasn’t willing to own up to my failures and let down my facade of imperfection.” When staff and other students shared their life maps, it gave him the confidence that he could reveal the messy imperfections of his life within the safe space of HIM. He found this process to be healing, and not as “crippling” as he originally thought.
His experience at HIM showed him that he wanted to work with people in some capacity. He now works as a teller at America’s First Federal Credit Union, where he has the ability to assist the community and provide encouragement to individuals.
Kara Lemonds
Before starting HIM, Kara was only working one day a week. Depression and feelings of hopelessness due to physical ailments kept her at her family’s home with most of the time. After receiving the postcard in the mail, Kara came to the HIM office with her mother for a tour and left convinced that joining the program would be a good opportunity for her.
Now a graduate, she said “My experience at HIM has been nothing but good, and it brought me out of the shell that I felt stuck in”. Kara is now employed as an office administrator Hill’s Janitorial Services, working with the company’s janitorial staff of over 200 people in her first-ever full-time office role. She is using the skills that she learned through HIM to assist with customer relations and payroll.
Thank You CAWACO RC&D!
All three siblings learned about HIM and were convinced to become graduates of the program thanks to our students recruitment postcards. The life transformation of these graduates, and many more, would not have been possible without CAWACO RC&D, who funds the student recruitment postcard initiative in Birmingham.
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