With the opening of Psalm 23’s Genesis House on Friday, nine homeless men in Abbotsford now have a place to go for recovery and survival.

For Gord Reed, a recovering addict and a Genesis House alumnus, not only is the new house more beautiful than any other he has seen so far, but the spiritual message is truly breathtaking.

“I hope when the men come in here, they feel hope,” he said. “Look at this place, it’s beautiful ... they’ll be able to accomplish putting their life back on track.”

Reed said he really can’t put into words just how much Psalm 23 has done for him, and how much it can do for others who need a second chance.

Reed told a small crowd that gathered for the ribbon-cutting ceremony about his own personal battle with drug addiction, a harrowing account that he detailed well into his teens.

Personal and family tragedy, including a violently abusive home situation, plunged him further and further down the wrong side of the tracks. After a heroin addiction that lasted nearly 40 years, and going in and out of jail from the ages of 12 to 35, Reed’s tale of recovery could be seen as a bastion of hope for those entering Genesis House.

Because of this, he’s spent the last little while being charitable and religious with his time, helping others who need a hand.

“For me, it’s about God, and it’s about them,” he said, recounting how his newfound devotion to prayer and spirituality taught him to love and be loved for those who cared for him. “We teach the men how to rely on God, how to ask for help, and to live a life without drugs, crime, violence, and all those kinds of things.”

He said the men entering the Genesis House have been truly taken aback by the facility.

“They don’t expect this,” he said. “There are recovery houses in the city where ... the upkeep and the stuff is not there to help the women and the men ... the need is so great and there are so little funds and finances to help.”

To complement the route that programs like Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous can provide, Psalm 23 also manages Freedom House and House of Angels in Abbotsford.

“If I can help one person change their way of life, that’s all,” said Reed. “Most people know where these places are; it just depends how far they’re willing to go ... they need to find the courage to go do it.”

-by Kolby Solinsky