Because of you, she has a new beginning this Easter!
“I didn’t know that what I went through as a child was going to affect me so much as an adult,” Celia says.
Growing up with a mother who was an alcoholic, and a father who was in and out of prison and addiction, Celia’s life was chaotic from an early age.
When she was molested as a teenager, it sent her searching for a way to escape the emotional pain and trauma. “For the next 15 years, I was in and out of my addiction,” she says.
“Spiritually, I was dead. There was no joy. There was no peace… It was just a lot of chaos.”
Sadly, Celia’s own children experienced a similar upbringing to hers. “My ex-husband was in and out of jail, too,” Celia says. “And there was just a lot of violence that my kids saw.”
When Celia was served divorce papers, she feared that she might lose her children. “That’s when I ended up taking my four kids to the Fresno Mission… and I started to see God move in our lives.”
“The Mission is more than a shelter or program. It’s a place of restoration.”
Celia and her children found safe housing together through our Rescue the Children program, and with the guidance of our staff and classes, Celia began to address the root causes of her addiction. “Through the program, I learned that drugs were just a symptom of what was really wrong.”
Today, Celia is on staff at the Mission, as a case manager for Rescue the Children. “It’s just awesome to be able to see women like me go through the process and be able to help them… I wouldn’t change my job for anything.”
With Christ’s love in her life and hope for her future, Celia can’t thank you enough for your support this Easter. “I just want to thank all the supporters of the Mission for helping women like me to have a second chance at life.”
Celia’s story appeared in the Easter 2023 edition of Lighthouse News.