From Homeless to Hope-Restored
A Story of Transformation
Two years ago, I was on my day off driving, running errands, and clear as day, I heard God say call the office; someone needs help.
I stopped what I was doing, called in, and asked who just called in for help that you informed me didn’t meet our normal criteria for the program. My team member begins to share about a young woman in her teens looking for a place to stay.
I said something was off because God stopped my day to call and inquire about her and her needs. Get her back on the phone and get an understanding as to what’s going on.
I learned she was a student at ASU. The summer was starting, and she had to move out with nowhere to go. She had no family here and didn’t know what to do.
I gathered my team and said go get her. Whatever she has, help her pack, load her up and bring her here. This is someone’s child, she should not be alone. This is unacceptable. And this was the beginning of a new chapter for Allison. 🌅
To say she was shy is an understatement. A young woman who lacked self-esteem and self-worth. She had recently lost her mom, her brother was living out of state with another distant relative, and her father had moved out of the area.
She had no job, no money, and was not even sure if she could or should return to school in the fall😞
A young woman that has endured her share of hard times. She turned to everything but God to cope and ease her pain. From alcohol, drugs, and other forms of self-harm to practicing witchcraft, she walked in the doors of the ministry, lost and in denial of her current state, but we continued to love her, have forthright conversations, teaching and building her up to move forward in life.
This has not been easy for anyone, but it has been worth every moment.
I watched her evolve on this journey and continue to do so.
From giving up a life of practicing witchcraft and being open to allowing herself to see herself through the eyes of God, she began taking a chance on herself. 🥰💥
Taking the steps to commit to various counseling and coaching, including staying committed to her sobriety and attending regular meetings online and in the community and get this, finding her way back to school.
She has been on a true transformation journey. 💫
She’s been reconnecting with her culture and her family to understand who she is and where she is from. She has even begun to share this part of her life with her present community, which shows a new level of confidence and pride.
Today, I had the honor and privilege of attending her graduation from Pima Medical Institute as she received her certification as a Veterinarian Assistant.
She has ventured out on interviews in New places and areas which is a long way from the young girl who walked in the door 2 years ago, afraid to talk to people and would burst into tears full of anxiety, believing she was incapable of going anywhere and looking anyone in the eyes and talking about herself to get what she desired.
In a place of her own, her first real apartment, a new certification in hand, a new outlook on life, and new relationships (from the past and present), Allison is on her way to accomplishing things she once never imagined she could.
God is an awesome God, and I’m grateful to have been a part of her journey.
Cannot wait to see what the next chapter reveals.
