Event offers hope, help to combat addiction
As a former addict, Lance Lang knows the lows of substance abuse from a personal standpoint.
However, he said nothing prepared him for the sad task of speaking at the funerals of individuals who lost their lives while in the grip of opioid addiction.
“I’ve done eight funerals in 14 months of men all under the age of 40, all overdose related,” said Lang, 35, founder of Hope is Alive Ministries.
“I just don’t think I ever anticipated that.”
Lang, who is celebrating almost seven years of sobriety, describes himself as a “hope dealer.” He’s been working for several years to combat the tragedy and devastation that addiction has wrought throughout Oklahoma communities.
His ministry is once again hosting “Night of Hope OKC,” an event designed to offer hope and help for people struggling with addiction and the families who love them.
The event will include guest speakers like the Rev. Scott Williams, an Edmond preacher, author and chief executive officer of Nxt Level Solutions, and Tony Hoffman, Olympic BMX coach and former BMX Elite Pro. Live entertainment will be provided by Cody Dunbar, Dillon Chase and the North Church Community Choir.
Night of Hope will culminate with what Lang calls the “after party,” a meet-and-greet that will allow attendees to visit with representatives of about 25 community resource providers including treatment providers and counseling services.
He said about 900 people attended last year’s event, and he’s hoping for another large crowd this year.
Lang said when addiction hits home, the first thing people often do is look to the internet for solutions, but this can lead to confusing results. He said Night of Hope provides a nonjudgmental atmosphere where people can seek out help for themselves or a loved one.
“We’re really trying to tear away any excuses, any barriers that would keep someone from starting recovery,” Lang said.
That nonjudgmental and hopeful environment has been key for the Night of Hope events.
For five years, Lang has brought in speakers whose testimonies of addiction and recovery have been filled with realism and themes of redemption.
He said Friday’s event is the final Night of Hope, but his work to help addicts find their way on the path to recovery is far from over.
‘Do the heart walk’
Lang said addiction, particularly opioid addiction, is currently in the public’s eye and that heightened awareness is a good thing.
“Awareness is great and it’s helpful, but appropriate treatment and recovery is always a matter of the heart,” Lang said.“You can’t just put a Band-Aid on these issues. You’ve got to do the heart walk.”
He said after the final Night of Hope is over, he plans to focus much of his time on helping people battling addiction ‘do the heart walk’ through Hope is Alive Ministries’ Hope Houses. The ministry began by opening one of the sobriety living homes and now there are has seven throughout the state.
Lang said there are currently 70 people in treatment
at the Hope Houses, and close to 300 have gone through the homes.
Meanwhile, Williams said he accepted Lang’s invitation to speak at Friday’s event because he has seen the other side of addiction through his previous work in the mental health and juvenile justice and adult corrections arenas. He is currently chairman of the board of directors of the Office of Juvenile Affairs.
He said he also has seen Lang and others with Hope is Alive ministries in action, along with the positive effect the Hope Houses have had in the community-at-large. “I have a real appreciation for this. This isn’t something that people are just talking about,”
Williams said. “When you have leadership that has walked the journey, it makes a difference.”
Williams said his message for Night of Hope attendees will fittingly be one of hope. “Where you were doesn’t define where you’re going. God has a next step for all of us,” he said.
Lang said his newest book “#HopeDealers (Hopedealers.com)” will be released at the Night of Hope. The book shares the stories of numerous people who have lived in the Hope Houses and successfully navigated the road to recovery. “The book will feature people whose lives have been radicalized through a God who loves them,” Lang said.