“I felt like I’d lost all connection with who I was.”
Michael and Samantha were no strangers to homelessness. After Michael’s parents died, he’d lived in his car trying to make ends meet. And Samantha’s trouble with drug use had led to homelessness for her, as well.
Now, together and with a daughter to provide for, they found themselves homeless and unsure where they could turn for help. “I was sitting in front of a church with my daughter,” Samantha remembers, “and I realized that I needed to straighten up my life.”
Michael felt a duty to care for his family, but he was struggling with feelings of hopelessness. “I felt like I’d lost all connection with who I was,” he says.
“I was really terrified,” Samantha recalls. “Everything felt like it was falling apart.”
They were desperate for a chance to rekindle their faith as they rebuilt their lives. “We wanted a place we knew would be safe, a place of compassion and integrity that was centered around God.”
In our residential program, they found the Christian support they’d longed for.
“Having a safe, faith-based environment to start over has meant more than we can say.”
“I had been angry at God and blaming Him instead of seeing my own responsibility,” Michael says. “I’ve learned so much here. It’s been humbling.”
For Samantha, the community has transformed how she feels about her faith. “I’m so thankful for the people here who are willing to talk and pray with me.”
Now, God is at the center of their family, Michael is stepping into a new job opportunity and the Mission is helping them prepare to move into a home of their own.
This fall, Michael and Samantha give thanks for YOU and your incredible generosity. Your prayers and support have helped change their lives. “It feels good to know what our next steps are, to have a plan for moving into our own place and rebuilding our life as a family. The support we received here has made us feel like we’re human again.”
Leticia’s story appeared in the Fall 2024 edition of Lighthouse News.