Testimony of Roger East

As children, we all have dreams of what might be. For Roger East, it might have been Major League Pitcher for the NY Yankees. It was a story too often repeated; a young man with a promising career gets sidelined by drugs and sin.

Throughout Junior League and High School, local papers were filled with accolades of this promising young lefty with a big curve ball. As he was perfecting his baseball talents, Roger got involved with others in smoking marijuana. Then in 10th grade, he was introduced to cocaine. For a while, his baseball skills continued to improve to the point he was voted one of the 10 best ball players in Virginia. He was one of a few invited to a special baseball camp and the NY Yankees were scouting him. After High School, Roger played a year with a semi-pro team in Danville and had a 15 and 2 season.

Things should have been going his way, but drugs were shaping his attitude. This played a part in his dismissal from a college team. He waited for the major league draft, but it never came. Drugs now had a stranglehold on his life. In 1985, his father died. Roger found some solace working in a home for abused children, but the drug habit continued to drag him down.

By this time, I had a beautiful wife and a new son. Her family was well off and they helped us buy a beautiful home. I realize I wasn’t what a husband should be. Nevertheless, when my wife left me, I was crushed. What happened afterward is really embarrassing, but it shows what drugs can do to a person. If I can help one person avoid this, it will be worth my embarrassment. My in-laws paid me $60,000 to move out of my house.

I took it and began to spend about $1,500 a day on drugs! I thought I’d do that until I had about $30,000 left and then get another place. That never happened. In less than 3 months, I had gone through all of it. I was a wreck both physically and spiritually. I knew I needed help.

I was so messed up, I was actually denied access to a rehab center. I went to a hospital emergency room. While I was there, a call came about a car crash. A young Christian man, about my age, was dying. In the ER, I saw his parents and I heard them say their son’s last words to his mother were, "I love you Mom, I’ll see you soon." Right then, I thought Oh God, I’m such a mess and he is such a good man, take me instead. But He didn’t.

That family’s tragedy and how they handled it made me realize I needed to become a Christian. I sought out a Baptist preacher and he led me through the plan of salvation. I had no trouble confessing I was a sinner and seeing the penalty for sin was death. But I was amazed to find God would forgive all my sin if I would only believe on His Son, Jesus Christ.

After receiving Christ as my Savior in 1997, I came to the Durham Rescue Mission at the recommendation of a pastor. But just cause a person is saved doesn’t make him perfect in this life, and I wasn’t ready for what the mission offered. I left in bitterness, but came back in October 1999. This time I was ready to submit myself to the Lord. I got into the Victory Program and will graduate in November.

Today, I have hope in my life. I have learned no one loses who holds on to God. While I have been working out again in the faint hopes that a ball team might give me one more chance, I won’t waste my time looking back on what might have been.

Now, thanks to people like you, who support the Durham Rescue Mission, and people like the Mills, I am a new creation in Christ. When I think about it, I was drafted as a player on the greatest team of all. I look forward to my new life serving Him.