I grew up with addiction in my family which made my childhood very difficult. I had experimented with drugs at the age of ten. I smoked weed which led to pills,
and by the age of thirteen I had tried methamphetamine. I want parents to realize that kids can try drugs at a very young age and that is where it can begin.

As a child, I was placed in the state’s custody, and that led to me seeking the drugs to fill a void and emptiness I had inside. I eventually moved back in with my mother and started a relationship with an older man which I hid from my family. The day I turned eighteen, I left and moved in with him. We had three children together. He was an alcoholic and became very abusive. The abuse got really bad and he hurt my youngest child when she was four months old. She had two skull fractures. Both my daughter and I were crime victims.

Once he was out of the picture, I raised my three kids on my own. It was tough, and my youngest child had to go through three major brain surgeries. After the last surgery, my addiction and drug use began to spin out of control.

I used the drugs to help me keep up with things. I would use them before cleaning the house and doing chores. It eventually got to where I needed them every day or I couldn’t function. The state became involved and placed my three children in foster care. That’s when I decided I needed help and came to Union Mission.

Since coming to Union Mission there has been a big change in my heart and my life. The biggest change is that I became a believer in Jesus.

My first six months at the mission included life skills and biblical training which established a good foundation for me to be able to live a functioning adult life. I was offered a job position at the thrift store and I think it is great being able to work while in the program. It has given me a chance to take baby steps getting  back into the real world and allowed me to be held accountable.

I now have overnight visits with my children at the mission. It’s amazing that they offer the opportunity to have our kids come here while we are in the program.
It is very family oriented and a very safe environment for them. They get the opportunity to build trust in me and see me change as I become a better person and mother. Once I complete the program and get established, my kids will be able to live with me again.

Today I have hope for a future for me and my kids. I have a car now and I plan to continue working at Union Mission and find a new residence in Kanawha City. I want to stay close to the mission and away from my past, and I really love being able to give back to what has helped save me.

By the way, I am ten months clean! Praise the Lord!