Chuck Kupferer: The Oldest Teen Challenge Graduate In The World
Graduated, March 2001, Teen Challenge New England, Brockton Mens' Campus

I started drinking when I was 5 years old. My mother and father died and I was sent to my Gradfather's. He was German and made his own wine and he let me drink all i wanted. I was then sent to live with my aunt and uncle because they had other children; but I would still sneak and drink. In 1941, I joined the Navy after Pearl Harbor and still kept drinking. I got married in 1948 and had 3 daughters. I had only two jobs my whole life; one for 16 years and the other for 26 years. I still drank all the time, but thank God I never got in trouble. After I retired I started to drink heavily and my daughter and son-in-law (who is a pastor) suggested I go to Teen Challenge. I knew of Teen Challenge for 20 years because they would always come to my church. I came into the program in August 1999 but had to leave for cataract surgery and came back in January 2000. Jesus knew what He was doing in my life. You see, my wife died at the end of January. We were married for 52 years. I now thank God I was in Teen Challenge at the time, otherwise I would have killed myself drinking. I graduated Teen Challenge in March 2001 as the oldest Teen Chalenge graduate in the world. I stayed on as staff and worked in the administration and intake department. At 84 years old, Teen Challenge launched me out to Rio Maria, Para, Brazil as a missionary with another Teen Challenge pastor to start a program there. So at 85 years old I am still being used as a servant of Jesus Christ on the mission field.