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Joe: ‘I’m here to change my life’
Joe remembers when he was 8 years old, and for a couple of years after, learning about becoming a deacon. “I was a Christian and I’d go with my uncle and study,” he said. “I planned on being a deacon in the church.” But when he was 12, his parents divorced. “Neither of them really…
Scott graduates after ‘hardest 10 months’ of his life
Scott is honest about his alcohol abuse, admitting it started when he was just a kid. “Alcohol was my first love,” said. “I never drank to drink. I drank to get drunk. It was a way of life for me.” He earned a scholarship to play football in college, but lost it due to his…
Angel: ‘When God calls me home, I want to leave on a good note’
Angel was raised in an environment where drinking was the norm. It wasn’t just socially acceptable—it was expected. “I come from a social family where everyone drinks alcohol,” he said. “It was just part of the culture in Mexico, and it was part of my upbringing.” Angel moved to the United States from Mexico in…
Maria returns to the Mission more than 15 years after first seeking help
Maria and her four siblings had a nice childhood with supportive parents, an active church life, and a strong education in Mexico City. “We had a good and healthy relationship with our parents—we were very lucky,” Maria said. “We had a comfortable living—my dad had several businesses, and he taught us how to be hard…
Crystal And Her 4 Kids Find Peace, Support At The Mission
Crystal’s father died when he was just 24, leaving behind a 21-year-old wife and three young daughters, ages 3, 5 and 6. “He had a heart attack, and all of my sisters and I were present when he passed away,” Crystal said. “It was tough. There was a lot of trauma from the beginning.” Crystal…
Danielle is Confident: ‘I’m Going to be a Success Story’
When Danielle was just 6 years old, her mother died of a heart attack. Shortly after, her father passed from complications of alcoholism. She and her two brothers—her older sister was old enough to live on her own—moved from Maryland to South Central Los Angeles to live with an aunt. “I call her mom—she legally…
Geraldine And Her 2-Year-Old Daughter Feel Safe, Comfortable, Welcome
Geraldine was born in the United States, but grew up in Mexico. “I went there when I was a couple months old,” she said. “I always wanted to come back to this country and finally I had the opportunity when I was 17. That was 10 years ago.” Geraldine stayed with her grandparents for a…
Tammy Says The Mission ‘Caught Me Before I Fell’
Tammy spent most of her life in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but the desire for warmer weather and to be closer to her oldest daughter, inspired her to make a big move. But once in California, Tammy’s plans hit a snag. Tammy has three children: two daughters, 23 and 14, and a 3-year-old son. When Tammy and…
Debbye Finally Comes To The Mission After God Guides Her Time And Time Again
Debbye grew up in South Central L.A. “I feel like the moral values I grew up with were different than what the other kids had. My mom was strict about things. We lived pretty comfortable. We didn’t have much. It was all my mom could afford,” Debbye recalls. Her dad was never involved in her…
Brenda Rebounds From Her ‘Lowest’ After Seeking Help From The Mission
Brenda has been through some tough times in her life. But in the middle of 2019, she hit rock bottom. Brenda worked as a server for 35 years, the last 17 primarily in the San Fernando Valley. She was working six days a week to provide for her 13-year-old son and 21-year-old pregnant daughter. Things…
Maria’s Family Forced to Leave Cramped Apartment, Can Finally Stretch Their Legs
Maria grew up in a small town in Honduras. “My mother gave me up to my grandmother and my grandmother raised me.” Maria moved to the U.S. when she was 27 years old and has been living here for the past 13 years. She was getting by working as a dishwasher and preparing food at…
Fear And Abuse Are Replaced By Peace And Caring
Nicole was living in Las Vegas with her two young daughters, Kenzie and Kayla, while working at a daycare as the lead teacher for the 18 month to 2-year-old class. She had broken up with her daughter’s father before she was born, ending what she would describe as a “toxic relationship.” In February of this…
