Outside the 316 acres in rural Cape Girardeau County, the world hasn't changed that much.

The old temptations and problems are still there, and one trip beyond Teen Challenge's boundaries was enough to remind Ryan Niffin and Harold Catha of that.

Niffin, Catha and 18-year-old Elias Kihyet are among the 16 freshman participants in the faith-based drug and alcohol recovery program located off County Road 621 near Cape Girardeau. Four months into the 10-month program, Niffin and Caffa were allowed a five-day trip to their hometowns. Kihyet's trip home was postponed until June after he hit another man at Teen Challenge.

Niffin and Catha faced their own challenges once outside the program.

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After years of abusing methamphetamine and crack cocaine, the 23-year-old Niffin eventually wound up with a seven-year prison sentence at the Fulton Reception and Diagnostic Center in Fulton, Mo. He was released to Teen Challenge after spending one week in prison.

"It seems like every time things start to get better, God will put something else in my path. But it's a good thing because he's bringing up some things I never thought I had a problem with," Niffin said.

The day he was released, Niffin was told he was the "the luckiest man to walk through the Department of Corrections in the state of Missouri."

Niffin, of Springfield, Mo., went home about two weeks ago. Family problems were awaiting him and old temptations resurfaced. He felt his testimony to God wasn't as strong as it should have been.

During the trip, Niffin said his parents saw a change in him but there's also a sense of doubt.

"I've told them I was going to change so many times, and then I'd go back to my old ways," he said. "But this program has changed my life, and it's been the best opportunity for me."

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After years of drug abuse and jail time, 37-year-old Catha said the Lord told him that he wouldn't protect him much longer. That same day Catha was in his car, parked on a hill and getting high. The car rolled down the hill and hit a tree. A few days later, Catha checked himself into a Teen Challenge entry station.

For Catha, the five-day trip home was a chance to see his 6-year-old daughter. The two prayed together -- something they had never done before.

But when Catha was on his way back to Teen Challenge, his addiction to alcohol took over, and he got drunk on the airplane. Now he faces a possible 30-day jail sentence when he graduates from Teen Challenge in October.

Catha says he regrets his past and wants to be a good father in his daughter's life. He misses his her and feels he's letting her down.

"I've gotta be a daddy to her," Catha said. "I've got to be involved in my daughter's life."

There's also hope that Catha and his ex-wife will get back together when he graduates from the program. "We've been getting along and after seeing her when I went home, there may be hope for us," he said. "God makes miracles happen."

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Kihyet battled similar drug and alcohol addictions until his parents intervened and he was admitted to Teen Challenge.

The 18-year-old hasn't gone on his five-day pass to his home in Mississippi. In February, he hit another man at Teen Challenge. Now he's learning to deal with his anger and will go home in June.

When he does go home, Kihyet wants to overwhelm family and friends by showing them the improvement he's made in his life. He plans to share his testimony at his church in Mississippi.

"I've changed 100 percent from the way I was before to where I am now," Kihyet said. "I'm going to continue to grow stronger and I'm not going to give into temptation."

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Despite their setbacks, each man agrees that his life has truly changed while at Teen Challenge. Their smiles seem brighter. They laugh a little more. Each day they grow stronger in their faith in God.

Catha describes past four months as a roller coaster ride.

"You'll feel so good about yourself and be on a high, and then troubles will come that you go through. But you're a stronger person when you come out," he said. "I see myself growing and learning more each day."

None of them wants to go back to their old lives of battling powerful drug and alcohol addictions. But it is a difficult journey to truly transform their lives.

The days at Teen Challenge are long, but the planned activities occupy the men's time. They don't have time to think of how much time is left until graduation in October.

An average day at Teen Challenge begins around 5:30 a.m. with prayer. Then comes breakfast and Bible classes, followed by lunch and work detail. The men eat dinner about 6 p.m. and then it's time for study hall. A nightly devotion ends at 9:30 p.m., and then it's time for bed.

Each of the men has a different job. Niffin is on the lawn crew, Kihyet works in the kitchen, and Catha is on the cleaning crew.

Extracurricular activities at Teen Challenge keep the men busy and help them stay strong in their faith. Both Niffin and Kihyet are in the choir. Kihyet visits children at an afterschool program at the House of Hope in Cape Girardeau twice a week.

As the three men at Teen Challenge begin the downhill slope of their 10-month stay, they know there's room for improvement.

Niffin said he's set goals for himself when he gets out of Teen Challenge, including attending college.

"I've never set goals for my future. So things are looking up, and I know God's there with me every step of the way," Niffin said.

Kihyet still plans to attend Bible college when he gets out of the program. He's not sure what he wants to pursue, possibly youth ministry.

And Catha knows just what he wants to be: a good father to his daughter.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246