Community Testimonials

“The Luke 15 House was founded in 1992. In an atmosphere of acceptance, love, and understanding, men who are in transition from a prison environment, or others who sincerely want a new start in life, are assisted in overcoming the obstacles that once held them back. For many of these men, their lives had been lost to alcohol abuse, drug addictions, and/or crime. We have witnessed some of our clients making great strides in their recovery with the support of Luke 15 House. We maintain a trusting relationship with Luke 15 House's staff, who assist us in placing our clients at their residence, and advise us of their individual progress.” “We always suggest that our clients consider Luke 15 when selecting a residential recovery program.  Nigel, Kathy and other Luke 15 staff embody a truly remarkable dedication to assisting young men struggling with addiction. Luke 15 has consistently impressed us with their compassionate and ethical approach, responsiveness, and knowledge-base. We hold Luke 15 in very high regard.”

Adi Glouberman and Guillaume Garih,  Criminal Defence Lawyers, Lower Mainland Law

"I have been a lawyer for well over a decade. Luke 15 has been a pillar to the community for as long as I can remember. Luke 15 has a reputation for being sensitive, but strong and consistent. I greatly respect and admire the work they do".

Alexander Wolf, Barrister & Solicitor

"As a criminal defense law firm we have numerous occasions where Luke 15 House has been our first choice in recovery for many of our clients. We have received numerous success stories from our clients under the care of Luke 15 House and would highly recommend this program to anyone seeking freedom from alcohol and/or substance abuse".

Dan Henderson, Barrister & Solicitor

“Your recovery program and treatment facility have been the best from my point of view I know when I send someone on court order conditions to your facility they stand the best chance of succeeding in their treatment.”

W.J. Kitchner, Administrative Judge

“This letter is to confirm my association and support for Luke 15 House. I have visited their facility and clientele on a number of occasions. I have and I will continue to support Luke 15 House and wish them continued success in helping others".

Marvin Hunt , MLA

"It has been said, perhaps with some justification, that in the past I showed too little sympathy for those with a criminal past and in need of rehabilitation. Luke 15 House changed all that for me. I witnessed the good and very committed people involved with directing and managing the House. Best of all, I saw how they governed with strict rules and guidelines but camouflaged with care and love".

Bill Vanderzalm, Former Premier, The Province of  British Columbia

“God bless this Spirit-filled ministry of Luke 15 House, Nigel and the dedicated staff of this wonderful initiative inspired by God to "bring good news to the poor, healing to the broken-hearted, recovery of sight to the blind and liberation to the captives". It is a great joy for me to see you guys and your hunger for the real, abundant Life and deep desire to become disciples of Jesus Christ in his Church. May you experience, day after day, the Father's loving embrace and become "salt of the earth and light of the world".”

Father Gabriel de Chadarevian, OP Assistant-Pastor, St. Mary's, Vancouver

“ I write this in support of Luke 15 House.  The staff and volunteers provide a caring and loving environment and have spiritual and personal growth programs in place which helps them to be accountable and responsible adults.  The men, with their openness and honesty, have captured the hearts of many parishioners. We are glad to be involved in giving to them a safe place to live where there is hope as they work on getting their lives back on track. “

Bishop Gary Franken

Resident testimonials

“My one year cake is coming up, and gratitude is going to be my topic, because when I got here I wasn’t grateful for anything. Today, I am grateful for everything. I am grateful for Luke 15, the AA program, for getting myself more aligned with God’s will for my life.  Today, I help make policy for Recovery And Detox for Vancouver Public Health, and that doesn’t happen without God’s help. So, I am very blessed. I owe Nigel a debt of gratitude.  I can never repay him.  I am so grateful for God to guide me this far and I know he will guide me the rest of the way, as long as I continue to work.  I am so blessed, and these people, the other residents are part of my recovery, including these people in the audience today. I couldn’t have done it without any of them. God has strategically put these people in my place.  When I got here I had hair and no teeth, and now I have no hair and teeth. So it is a blessing.  Thank you very much”  - Fred, Graduate February 8, 2025.

“ When I came here I was barely hanging on by the skin of my teeth, addicted to alcohol and drugs. I will start with that. I was here maybe three years ago, trying to clean up my act, but I couldn’t do it on my own will.  Something about getting older and I had had enough of the turmoil I was putting myself through.  My alcoholism and all the trouble I have been going through. So, coming to Luke 15 this year, I have been learning to live a better life and making proper choices, living the life without alcohol or drugs.  Learning to grow with the guys here. I went to church with my grandmother, I grew up with my grandmother, but I didn’t practice like I am now.  So I am very grateful for that.  It is giving me a new peace to life. My family is becoming sober as well, from seeing and hearing about my progress, for which I am very grateful for.  My sister is five months sober.  My mom is on board, but she is still working on it.  That is from the work that I have put in here in the AA program.  I am practicing my faith, reading the bible and prayer, going to church and doing RCA which is a great program.  I am very grateful that I have come to Luke 15 again  - it has opened my eyes, and my heart to a much bigger world, and I am very grateful for that.”  - Ronald, Graduate Feb 8, 2025.

“ God wants me to tell the truth.  I learned from the Scripture that the truth will set you free.  This is the story of my life. Before I came here, on March 8th last year, in dirty clothes and dirty socks, I didn't know what to do in recovery.  I came from jail in segregation for 8 months.  I asked God to help me.  For 10 years I have been homeless,  I walked around, looking for something to get involved to make money, for quick cash robbery.  I am a recovering addict. With the help of Nigel, he asked me to testify.  I remember the daily devotion in Genesis. “ Mosses, go and tell them that I am God.  And Moses said why me? I am old, weak, and can’t do that.  God said, when you get there the holy spirit will be with you.”  I know that the Holy Spirit is inside us.  All the sorrow has ended. This is the story of my life: Before I came to Luke 15, my life was one of addiction, and crime to continue the cycle. Eventually, I faced significant jail time, financial hardship. I owed people in institutions. The violence and mental stress of the environment was almost unbearable.  I found the bible as a source of comfort.  I humbled myself to the Lord at that time. I prayed to stay out of trouble. I arrived at Luke 15 and I was grateful to have a place to sleep and food to eat.  I was one of many lost sheep, with good shepherds.  Everything I did, including my daily chores, cooking, taking part in the various groups, no longer became burdens, They became my medicine. I began to do everything as if I was doing it for God.  Jesus was my higher power, combining this with 12 steps of AA, I began to see there was a chance at a sober life.  When God promised to put you up, nobody can put you down, until the end, Amen.  I started the lifelong process of making amends for the suffering I had caused my friends, and family.  I am now connecting with my sister, and my brothers.  I am no longer manipulating people to get what I want.  But my focus is on God’s grace and the influence of the Holy Spirit.  Thank you for everything.” - Randy, Graduate Feb 8, 2025.

“ Before I came to Luke 15 house I was living a hopeless life.  I was living a life of drugs and crime and I got accustomed to it.  But, life was not like that before, when I had a job and I was clean and sober, and able to provide for myself.  When I relapsed, everything came crumbling down.  I went back to doing drugs.  I found myself living in the streets, and going back to a life of crime, which eventually landed me in jail. During my stay in jail for a month and a half, they recommended I go to recovery at Luke 15 House, and there I found people who accepted me.  I have been sober for 11 months here, and I have learned about my higher power, and steps of recovery, and going back to church.  The program here gave me the knowledge of living a life of Godliness. Being here made me love others as I love myself, and found hope again in life. Even though I have pending court cases, I know that I can live in peace, knowing God will take care of everything.  I am forever grateful to Luke 15 House, and what it has done in my life, and how it has made my relationship in my family closer than it was before.  Now I am in the second stage where I can look for work or go back to school, something to be hopeful for in the future.  I am grateful to Nigel and the staff here.  Thank you for making my sobriety possible.” - Reman, Graduate Feb 8, 2025

“ It is an honour to be here and thank you for asking me to come here and share. I came from a pretty dark spot. I spent approximately 13 years in jail.  I have been shot, stabbed, and had no future ahead of me at all.  I came to terms that I would die as a drug addict.  At God’s grace I was able to get at the drop of a hat, I decided that I was going to try recovery.  And, from the Grace of God, Luke 15 House opened the door for me, with no plans of ever being able to have a new life.  But, I thought I would try it, so I came here.  My journey has been crazy.  I remember sitting in that office, and being asked to put short and long term goals together. It was Jordan who said to dream big.  I remember being as honest as I could at that time.  Things that I thought I would never be able to attain, I am proud to say that I have reached some of those goals.  Starting by being able to get an ID, when I couldn’t have that in 15 years.  Getting a job, getting a bank account, getting a driver's license. With no experience for 15 years, it is pretty hard to go out and get a job.  “Where have you been?”  “I have been incarcerated”.  It doesn’t make for a very good job.  After leaving here, …I was here for about a year. I started looking for a job, handing out resumes and getting nowhere.  I remember sitting outside a place for 15 minutes, waiting and praying for an opportunity to speak to the person, even though I am not even qualified for a job.  I got a job two days later.  And it was the biggest blessing.  I worked on the front line with people with addiction.  I weekly got to be able to work with people who were exactly where I was, and bring them into recovery and be able to watch them get their lives back and for me that is the biggest gift.  I am proud of who I am today, and I never thought I would say that.  I have 19 months clean.  Next week, I am burying my brother who died in addiction.  Because of the tools that I got while I was here, I was able to be a brother that I never thought I was able to be, do the funeral arrangements, pay for the funeral. These are things that an addict would never have a chance to do.  God has shown up in my life, in a way that there is no way you could deny there is a God. People who know me have seen the crazy things that have happened to me that are undeniable. I am just really grateful that god had a plan, because I just had to submit to it.  I didn’t have a plan.  How I ended up at Luke 15, all I wanted was a Christian-based treatment centre, I knew nothing about the place.  I showed up on the doorstep and they let me in.  I am really grateful for my journey, for the tough times and the good times. I have had lots of good times, but I have actually been taught how to show up. Since I showed up here, I have never been late for an appointment, I have never not shown up for a day of work.  These were the tools I never had.  I had been sitting in a jail cell, doing nothing.  And, today, I am an upstanding citizen in society, and I am doing the right thing. I am grateful for the opportunity to get into this house.  Thank you.” - Jason, Graduate Feb 8, 2025

“ How can a person begin to thank those who seek no praise, who’s hearts are given so freely without judgement or discrimination. We all are truly blessed to have been guided away from the darkness to which we would have probably been lost to for the rest of our lives. This place of spiritual healing has given us the faith needed to open the door of our hearts to allow Jesus back into our souls. Nigel, Clark, Maria, Jesse, Jordan, Kaid and everyone else associated with Luke 15, you have welcomed all of us men into your home with such love, understanding, and compassion that I know God looks upon you all and smiles because we can now begin our purpose for His glorious plan. You have shown that God’s light shines even in our darkest moments. That love conquers all. Most of all, thank you for believing in us, when all else had given up on us, even ourselves. You have sparked that holy fire within us through our Lord Jesus Christ and Saviour. I pray for all of us to carry this message of hope and salvation to those who still suffer from this horrible addiction and let it be known that Satan has lost his battle for our souls are now in the hands of our Lord All Mighty. May we be that light in the darkness you have shown us, and live by the righteous Word of God. May God use his prodigal sons as vessels to those sons and daughters still lost in this ever growing world of hurt, pain and evil to share God’s love and individual purpose for each and every one of us. I am sure I speak for every man here when I say thank you God and Luke 15 for all that we have become and for all we are now destined to be, through and within Jesus Christ our Lord, Saviour and sweetheart.” - Jacob, Christmas Letter 2023

“ Hello, my name is William. I came into Luke 15 House broken, drug addicted and had zero hope for the future. I also lost my faith in God. After staying here for a while, I started to slowly get my faith back, I got into the RCIA Program and eventually baptized. Today I am able to love myself and even restored my relationship with my family. Day by day, life gets better and am thankful and grateful for having an new life. “ - William

“ I ran into a little trouble while I was smoking weed and drinking alcohol once a month. I forgot to call the police during an unexpected incident and got accused and charged with a crime I did not commit. I was incarcerated for a year and found out about Luke House. I got a bail and came here. I started going to RCIA in September, started going to church mass, as well as AA. A combination of the three got more interested in Jesus. I learned to pray, memorize prayers, and study. I was in a state of Hopelessness, I had thought my life was over being incarcerated for life to finding Jesus. By learning, I found a new hope, way of life and purposeful meaning. I learned how to make better choices in life, build a spiritual bond with Jesus, Mary, the Saints and opened the doors to a whole new life with people who love and have respect for me with Christ. I practiced and achieved how to be humble and pray instead of becoming upset, instant choice making, memorization, life structure, responsibility, and many other gifts from Jesus to be grateful for. I have learned an incredible amount about the history and present of church, mass and other benefactors for a bran new beginning. I am now a fully baptized catholic.- J.P.

“ I came to Luke 15 in August 2023. When I first came here I was having a lot of problems in my life and they were mostly due to my drug addiction. It was not possible to put a stop to my problems by myself. So when I got to Luke 15 I was willing to change and opened myself up to be helped through this process of inner healing. Once I was able to put one foot in front of another and began my recovery, I started attending I C Delta Church and I joined RCIA. In the months leading up to my baptism, I noticed a lot of changes in my behaviour and in my actions. I came to realize that God has a plan for me. Also, getting baptized helped me more on in my recovery leaving my old ways and my past behind. I’m very thankful for Luke 15 for all the help and guidance in giving me a new life.” - Jason

“Luke 15 House changed my life. I owe what I have now to what I learned at Luke 15.” - Freddy

“ I am God’s child, and he brought me here to Luke 15 to find a new life”  - Derek

“ I worked for nothing but destruction and violence before and now I want to live what this says! : blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Mt 5:9” - Jesse

“ By being here, God is changing the way I think about drugs and alcohol, and about life.”  - Blair

“ I found love here for sure.  I think if we all have love, we’ll make it through.” - Mike

“ I came to Luke 15 to lose my old life and find a new life in Jesus Christ. “  - Shane

“ I came to Luke 15 broken and lost after well over a decade in the Downtown Eastside (Hastings) , struggling with addiction and a life of crime to support that addiction.  Throughout my stay the Spirit of God allowed me to overcome my lack of self-worth. With the help of the staff, volunteers, fellow clients and an open mind, I was eventually able to take responsibility for myself and in essence “Grow up”.  I am now coming up on my 9th year clean and sober on November 4th, 2015. I work with at risk youth and give back every day of my life. Staying grateful and never forgetting where I came from allows me to remain healthy, happy, and forever a positive member of society.”  - William

“ At the age of 34 my marriage of 10 years and my business both collapsed sending me into deep depression.  For about 7 years I was running around doing crime. I finally got arrested and was put in jail. My only way out was to go to Luke 15.  I completed the four month program and went back to college and studied addiction counseling. I now work managing four specialized care youth homes. “  -  Rick

“When I came to Luke 15 House in 2005 I couldn’t stay away from drugs or jail. I was addicted to all drugs for the past 10 years. I couldn’t work, so I resorted to crime. I was hopeless. I prayed to God for help. At Luke 15 I was given a stable environment and an opportunity to change my life. Luke 15 gave me daily groups, daily AA & NA meetings, personal counselling through the probation office and all the time I needed to feel secure enough with myself to leave the house with confidence. Today I have restored my construction company, and I attended college for Drug and Alcohol Counselling. I served on the Board of Directors for Luke 15 and I now sponsor men who are struggling with addictions” . - Dan

“I came to Luke 15 House January 2006 from North Fraser PreTrial with alcohol problems, fines and no driver’s license. 5 months later… completed program…began attending college. Today I am a Resource Manager for specialized foster homes, a good father, a dependable, reliable person who helps others in their struggles. I now have a valid driver’s license and new car.” - Ric

“ I came to Luke 15 House in May 2007. Drugs, alcohol then jail. Luke 15 House gave me direction to get back on the recovery path and reconnect with God. Today my life has completely changed. Involved with NA, Luke 15 and its Board of Directors, have my kids back in my life, a good job, self respect and enjoy helping others.” - Darrin

“ Came to Luke 15 in 1992 from Detox. Learned it was possible to stay clean and sober but still relapsed. Eventually I put my life back together and have been clean and sober for the past 6 ½ years. Working for DEYAS Downtown Eastside Needle Exchange. “ - Bruce 

“ Came to Luke 15 in 2005. Struggled with addictions for 20 years, in and out of institutions. Luke 15 helped me find a new way to live. Stayed for 8 months. Today I’m back working as a Plumber/Gas Fitter. I still give back and am indebted to Luke 15. I attend regular drug and alcohol meetings and try to help the newcomers.” - Terry

“ My thoughts on Luke 15. At age 26, I was under house arrest for 9 months. I didn’t complain and just accepted that that was the way it was. Hearing others complain made it seem it was a waste of breath. I used drugs since age of 13. I celebrate 2 years clean on Feb. 18, 2009. I work very hard for a moving company in customer service. I am always positive and caring and it makes a difference. The job is physically demanding and I enjoy that. Everything is new, I’m continually learning.

When I came to Luke 15 the discipline taught me how to care for myself and wanted to be free from the ball and chain of drugs and misfortune that came with it.

God was always with me throughout my life, but in the back of my mind. At Luke 15 House I came to realize that God was closer than I had realized. God brought me to Luke 15 House because I needed to grow. I was insecure and here I was given love, compassion and caring. Together, with the staff residents and volunteers, it was one big happy family. My prayer life is great. God makes me happy when I talk about him. I learned to pray for my enemies and let go of my past. I felt the help from the first day I came here from others. After six months, it clicked in and I felt in control over the evil thoughts and fears rather than the evil having control over me. I felt free; I discovered the truth about myself and the qualities that God has given me. I am happy and I know that I make others happy. My relationship with my family is awesome now. I am grateful to God for Luke 15 House. I pray for Catherine (my house Mom) who always expressed joy, peace & love and made sense of things so I could see it in a different way, which made me open up and express myself. I pray for the guys in the house and hope that they will succeed in life with God.” - Kenric