April is excited to experience new things at the Mission. She’s currently learning to drive!

For most of her life, April carried burdens that weren’t hers to bear. Growing up in a dysfunctional home, she became the caretaker of her family long before adulthood. “My dad was abusive to my mom, and I was the one who had to stop the fights and make sure my brothers were okay,” she recalled. “I was the parent to my parents.”

By age 14, April was using methamphetamines. Addiction surrounded her—drugs and alcohol were the norm for coping. “It was all I ever knew,” she said. Hoping alcohol would be a safer alternative, she transitioned to drinking, but it consumed more than 20 years of her life.

Recovery proved difficult. “Every time I started doing well, I’d move back home thinking I could help everyone else. But I’d end up drinking again,” April shared. Her need to care for others often derailed her progress. “Every time I asked for help, my family would say, ‘Do you need money? Do you need drugs?’ But what I needed was real help.”

Loss compounded her struggles. April endured the deaths of her brother, father, husband, and others. “I didn’t know how to cope with the grief. I drank to numb it all,” she admitted. But even in her darkest moments, April believes God was at work.

At another recovery program, a woman prayed over her. “She laid hands on me, and I felt a warmth from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. I didn’t have any withdrawals. It was like I’d never even drank before. That was the moment I knew God was real.”

In August 2024, April came to the Mission. A conversation with her longtime friend Celia Gonzales, now the women’s program manager, opened the door. “It was a God moment,” April said. “Celia told me about the new (program) and invited me in. She’s never stopped believing in me, even when I didn’t answer her calls.”

Though family pressure caused her to leave briefly, she returned four months later, more determined than ever. “This time, I’m focused on myself. I’m not trying to fix everyone else. I’m not here with my kids—I’m here to heal.”

April is confronting the trauma and grief she once buried in alcohol. She’s committed to the program, taking classes, and even learning to drive for the first time. “I’ve never had a license. Celia and her husband are even helping teach me,” she said with a smile.

Her heart has changed too. April is rebuilding her relationship with God. One scripture guides her: “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household” (Acts 16:31). “I stand on that scripture,” she said. “I know God has a plan for me and my family.”

April is excited to start over. “That life is behind me,” she said. “I want something new—for myself and my kids. I want to leave a legacy, not be remembered as the drunk who never got it together.

“I thank God in advance for the job and future He’s preparing for me,” she said. “And I’m holding onto His promise every step of the way.”