Happy. Healthy. Safe. Carefree.

Sadly, these are not words Breanna would use to describe her childhood. From as early as she can remember, her story was one of sadness, confusion, loss and despair.

“I was young when a lot of things happened to me,” Breanna says. “My parents were gone and then my grandmother and grandfather died.”

She barely knew God, but she blamed Him. In her innocence and inexperience, it seemed the only thing that made sense. “Why would He keep taking away the only people who love me?”

Troubled and hurting, she was easily misled. By age 13, she was experimenting with drugs and alcohol, which, as she grew older, led her down a path of self-destruction.

After fleeing a toxic relationship, she was homeless at age 17. Struggling to survive and support her addiction, she did things she knew were wrong and was eventually incarcerated. When released three years later – with nowhere to go and no one to guide her – she rekindled nefarious habits and behaviors. And it nearly ended her life.

“My biggest challenge before coming to the mission was my unhealed trauma – my unhealed wounds.”

When she awoke from an overdose, she knew God had saved her. And she embraced the opportunity to come to the Mission.

“God brought me through all that because He has a bigger plan for me!”

Yet while she knew it was right, the transition wasn’t easy. She initially denied her addiction and rejected the staff’s guidance and help. “But they were so welcoming and when I finally took the time to read and study the Bible, I knew I could work through it.”

She joined our LifeBuilders program, where we equip individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction with tools and skills to live a substance-free lifestyle and become productive, self- sufficient members of society. In our faith-based environment, through God’s love and grace, she is also healing from the pain of her past.

“There was so much harm, physically, mentally, emotionally – things I’ve been trying to work through for years.”

After graduating a few months ago, Breanna moved on to our Workforce Development Program where local business partners provide employment experiences for our students. She is currently working at a restaurant while she saves money for her new beginning.

“The Mission has so many opportunities for us,” Breanna says. “You can even start looking at school!” Breanna plans to pursue training in real-estate sales, a field that has always held interest for her.”

But most important for Breanna, “the Mission has helped me find my real identity… the way Jesus looks at me… the woman He thinks I am.”

To read the entire September Newsletter, click here.