Duke grew up in Thailand where he was raised by his aunt and uncle. During his childhood, he was physically abused by his adoptive parents. He would pray every night, asking God “Please send my mother back home.” After three years of praying, his mom came back to Thailand and took Duke with her to America.

After high school, Duke went to college and earned a degree in engineering. He eventually landed a job at Intel working in the Portland area. After a few years working at Intel, Duke decided to quit his job and stay in Portland. He spent most of his free time exploring the nightlife of Portland by going to nightclubs and raves. By the age of 30, he was heavily involved in the underground rave scene where he started using Ecstasy. “We wanted to get the most out of our experience and to do that we all took Ecstasy,” Duke said.

He continued using drugs while attending raves for the next 11 years. He was charged with possession, a felony in Oregon at the time, and went to jail. After spending time in jail, he decided to turn from his current lifestyle and stop using drugs. However, due to the charges Duke had, it became difficult for him to find a job. He was unable to pay rent and was evicted from his apartment. When looking for a new place to stay, many places would not accept him due to his eviction record. Having nowhere to turn to, Duke found himself on the streets.

He found a local store that allowed him to sleep there during the evenings. He didn’t have a tent so instead he slept curled up near the side of the building under an awning. “Luckily, I had a heavy-duty sleeping bag. Without it, I would have froze,” Duke explains. During his time on the streets, Duke heard God say to him, “Duke, you’re not going to overcome homelessness on your own. You will need the help of my people.” One day, two people visited Duke, gave him a gift card, and asked if he needed help finding a place to stay. “Their names were Doug and Katie. I will forever remember them because they changed my life and brought me to Union Gospel Mission,” Duke recalls.

Duke has been taking classes on mental health and communication. He has a heart to help others. He plays a major role at UGM by assisting the staff with any medical needs that residents have. He is learning how to communicate better by taking classes in de-escalation and conflict resolution.

Duke is set to graduate in January 2023. UGM is currently working with the courts to have his felony expunged so that he can return to work after graduation. He says “This program has changed my life for the better. I learned what it means to be a Christian, not just to be a believer. I always believed in God, but now I can live the life he created me for.”

If you know of someone battling addiction or homelessness and they are interested in a LifeChange, then contact our Intake Coordinator at mensintake@ugmportland.org or 503-274-4483.