Welcome Loren,
Our New Bridges of Hope Director!

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. My name is Loren McWilliams; I am 59 years young, born and raised near Ferndale. I got married to my best friend Teresa 3 1/2 yrs ago and we live at Sandy Point. I have 2 grown adult children Tangela and Loren Jr. My daughter works as a nurse and Loren Jr. owns Lenny’s Bike Shop in Ferndale. I have 5 grandchildren, Neavaeh is 11 years old and is currently at Camp Kirby on Samish Island where my lovely wife works. Her sister, Willow is in heaven. Camden is 8 yrs old, Asher is 5 & our adorable Bella turns 1 soon. Somehow I see a minivan in our future. I am a devout man of God and in love with Jesus Christ, I have been most of my life.
 
My life verse is Psalm 37:4. "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." I absolutely believe He has given me a life of quality and a quality of life I wouldn't trade for anything the world has to offer. In 2004, I was living in my car and knew only God could remove my addiction. I prayed for help and God answered 3 days later with an arrest by Whatcom County’s finest. I know well the struggle to give up those people, places, and things that can lead back to a life that is not God’s will. This November I will have 13 years clean by the Grace of God. My wife will have 23 next month PTL (although she will insist that she is only 21 years old)!
 
My first 2 1/2 years of recovery I lived in and managed a clean and sober house. I am still friends with many of the men from that house today. I have sponsored and mentored many other men throughout my recovery and I have led a faith based recovery group with my wife at Cornwall Church for the past 4 years.
 
When I was approached about the Program Director position, I knew it was divine guidance. I am excited to share my passion for Jesus and teach the tools of recovery that have made me the man I am today. 

Again, I am truly grateful to be here with BOH and hope to be for a long time. I absolutely know that nothing happens by mistake in God's world.

Insights from Board Member Joe Strong
I do applications interviews for the Bridges of Hope house. I receive them, send them out to the board members to review and make comments. I then call the prison, go to jail or visit the rehab center to ask questions to see if the applicant is the right person for our house. I explain that we are faith based, do UA's, provide help to find jobs, expect church attendance and require meetings of AA or NA. Over and over again, I get the same response, "this is just the kind of place I am looking for." Most clean and sober houses are not clean and sober. We try to be strict with the men without the atmosphere of a prison. I am proud that some of the ladies on our board are so good at sprucing the place up, help with new linens, give new Bibles to the newcomers with their name embossed and make the environment more of a home. Our men find this comforting and caring. I like doing the interview. It is fun to see each man fit into our house and start participating in society again.