Reflecting back on
my life I realize that I was a product of my own sin and
self-destruction. I lead a life of prostitution and hard-core
drug addiction for over 20-years. At the age of thirty-five I
was faced with losing my fourth child because of my inability to
stay clean of drugs. My daughter’s father was at the end of his
rope with my dysfunctional life-style and gave me the
ultimatum---drugs or him and my daughter. I agreed to get help
and entered the Anne Douglas Center, a Christian based
rehabilitation program. I stayed there for one year and
successfully graduated, for the first time in my adult life I
was drug free. I moved to Pico Rivera for six-months of
transitional housing. I thought I had it made but because of my
disobedience not only to the program but more importantly to
God’s will for my life, I became pregnant. God, however, did
not forsake me and stayed faithful. He brought me to Harvest
Home, another of God’s provisions for me. I was welcomed, love
and nurtured until the birth of my child. Having no real family
of my own in California, Jennifer, the director of Harvest Home,
was with me through every step of my pregnancy, not to mention
my labor which took place July 11th 2001.
My daughter, Trinity
and I came home not to any empty room but to the love of Harvest
Home. I will always be grateful that I didn’t end up in some
empty lonely hotel room with my baby.
In the months to
follow, Jennifer and I started planning for the next step of our
future. After applying at numerous shelters I was accepted at
Upward Bound Family Place where I stayed for nine months and
with the help of Beyond Shelter, I was able to obtain a
Section-8 voucher.
Today I’m living in
a beautiful 2-bedroom townhouse with my daughter. I’m also able
to be the kind of mother that God has called me to be to my
other children. Bianca, my 4-year old spends an average of 3
days per week with me and I also see my daughter, Nikki, every
3-months when she visits me from Colorado.
I give all honor and
glory to Jesus Christ, without his love and the help of the
people who serve Him I’m not just another throw away but I’m a
new creation in Christ.