Photos: The Road to Recovery Starts with a Bus Ride

Ronald Sparks, 43, who has been a resident of the Our Brother's Keeper house for six weeks, looks up after watering a tree he planted by the front sidewalk on June 27. The house is a rehabilitation home for men recently released from prison or recovering from a drug addiction.

Sparks, who entered the house after being in and out of jail for the past 10 years for possession of crack cocaine, sprinkles fertilizer on one of the trees he planted in front of the house on June 27. Although residents are required to help with the upkeep of the house, Sparks said he enjoys the work. "I love getting down there, getting my fingernails in the dirt," said Sparks. "I know it'll come off."

Marion Hellem, a resident of the Our Brother's Keeper house, brings in gardening supplies on June 28. Residents are allowed to live in the house, 1601 12th St. S., for up to six months if they work or provide community service in the area.

Helem, who has been at the Our Brother's Keeper house for three weeks, gets a hose to water the trees recently planted in front of the house on June 27.

Another resident of the Our Brother’s Keeper house, James H., who declined to give his last name, dusts a picture of Frederick Douglass while cleaning the public room on June 27. Each resident must perform a chore each day to help keep the house clean.

Sparks writes in a log of the details of the topics discussed on June 28 at the 7:30 p.m. meeting held after dinner. Sparks keeps the log available for Brother Kiambu Mudada, a founder of Our Brother’s Keepers Inc., who allows the residents to conduct the nightly meetings alone.

(From left) Sparks, James H. and Hellem hold hands in prayer after the conclusion of their nightly discussion on June 28. Each night the three residents participate in an open discussion to talk about any issues or problems they are facing.