“I have a new way forward in Christ.”

Sandra grew up in a home that was loving but also deeply challenging. 

Her grandmother played a positive role in her upbringing, teaching her about Jesus. “But my father struggled with severe alcoholism,” Sandra shares. “Substance abuse affected both of my parents.”  

With drugs and alcohol so present, Sandra began drinking as a small child. She was introduced to harder substances only a few years later. 

As an adult, Sandra’s addiction led her into homelessness, living on the streets in only a tent or a box. The instability sadly separated Sandra from her children. She felt trapped… and unable to repair the holes in her life on her own.  

During one of her darkest seasons, Sandra discovered she was pregnant. Sober for the first time in years, she dropped to her knees and prayed, asking God for a safe place for herself and her daughter. That’s when she was led to the Rescue Mission. 

“I felt an incredible light of hope at the Rescue Mission – like a ray of sunshine.”  

Coming here, Sandra experienced immediate relief. “I remember the warmth, the welcoming environment and a real sense of God’s presence,” she says. For the first time in a long while, she felt at home.  

Sandra embraced the Rescue Mission’s Christ-centered programs and found healing through classes, devotions and supportive relationships. She learned to challenge negative thoughts, rebuild her confidence and trust others again. With time, structure and compassion, her sense of hope returned, and her faith grew stronger every day.  

These days, Sandra and her daughter are looking forward to a bright future. Sandra is enrolled in medical billing and coding classes and working toward meaningful employment. “I’m so grateful to the Rescue Mission for giving me this gift of healing, and for the time I needed to grow and succeed.” 

Because of you, neighbors like Sandra know that God loves them and they are worthy of a new beginning. Thank you for opening the door to hope and healing this summer! “Because of this place, we aren’t just surviving… we’re finally building a life filled with promise.” 

To read this issue of Mission in Motion, click to download.