Stephanie

Stephanie says, “I’m learning about pruning plants, but also my own life. I was meant to be here. I’m blooming… blooming in Christ.”

Before coming to the Rescue Mission, Stephanie’s life was at a crossroads.

Years earlier, she’d had an encounter with God in prison that changed her forever. Three years after her release, she had her own home with her son and daughter, and a thriving career in customer relations.

But when her father was diagnosed with cancer, everything began to fall apart.

Stephanie quit her job and moved to his home to take care of him. Grief and the responsibility of his care consumed her. She didn’t know how to cope with the suffering within her and around her.

Drugs and alcohol, her familiar coping mechanisms from the past, became the only way she knew how to numb the pain she was in.

After her father passed away, Stephanie lost her home. Her daughter went to live with Stephanie’s mom while she and her son moved into a run-down rental nearby.

Stephanie fought to stay clean but struggled to find work that would enable her to keep the lights on. When CPS stepped in for her son’s safety, her heart broke, but she desperately wanted him to be safe.

Still surrounded by others who were also struggling with addiction, Stephanie knew she had to get away from drugs and get her life back on track.

Your generosity opened the door for her to come to Village of Hope, and everything in her life began to change.

Six months later, Stephanie’s son was able to join her here at the Rescue Mission.

Today, she’s earned her high school diploma and is attending welding school. Through classes and counseling, Stephanie is learning to tend to her soul, the same way she tends to the Village of Hope garden. Her son joined a soccer team, and together they’re finding joy and healing.

They love fishing at the beach and tending the garden, where they’ve grown pumpkins, melons, cucumbers — even coffee beans they plan to roast together.