REAL MEN and a Story of Transformation
In 2010, we bought an apartment complex in South Dallas, Texas for $9000 per unit. In case you are not familiar with real estate, if you bought an apartment complex in Santa Barbara today, you would pay about $350,000 per unit.
It was a war zone. But God was on our side. When we bought it, the police would not drive into the campus without four officers and two police cars. Murders. Prostitution. Hopelessness. Crime. Wandering kids. Destruction. There wasn’t a flower on the 30 acres. In total, the property included 488 units with about 1200 people living there.
Over the course of two years, crime went down about 95%. Next thing you know, kids are being tutored in the Community Center. Grades are going up. Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran showed up, together, in our refurbished boxing gym! Reconciliation was happening all over the place!
A Presidential candidate visited the property as a national model for neighborhood transformation.
Next thing you know, our men’s group….the “Real Men” was taking communion together on Friday mornings and talking about how to be peacemakers! If I wasn't in the room, I wouldn't believe it!
Anything is possible when we believe! God can do anything!