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Harrison resets his priorities as he re-enters program
When Harrison thinks of how he ended up with his loving parents, he chuckles. “It’s a funny story, actually,” he says. “My parents were unable to have kids and they both had well-paying jobs. They were at a house party in the 80s and my mom saw a pregnant lady with a drink, so she…
Joseph revels in the restoration of his family relationships
“My life was for the most part very difficult,” said Joseph. “I grew up in a house with a gang member as a father. But my mom loved God and took me to church, so I knew God cared about me and was working in my life.” Joseph doesn’t have many memories of his dad,…
LUIS IS LEARNING ‘TO BE CONFIDENT IN GOD’ AND HIS LOVE
When Luis was 7 years old he moved from Mexico to Lompoc with his family. He grew up in a loving and supportive family and valued his relationship with his father. But in 2000, Luis’ father died leaving Luis with a “hole in his heart.” To fill the void of his father’s passing, Luis turned…
ABEL GETS OFF THE STREETS AND BACK ON TRACK
Abel is no stranger to overcoming life’s challenges. A severe accident left Abel’s mom injured to the point where it was difficult for her to hold a steady job. Abel and his brothers ended up living in a hotel room where the boys cared for their mother. Abel’s main weekly chore was the family’s laundry.…
JOEY’S DRIVE TOWARD HEALING COMES FROM COMMITMENT TO HIS FAMILY
When Joey was 3 years old, he was adopted. “I was adopted by good people,” he said. “I was very lucky, and I had an amazing childhood.” Joey has good memories of vacations, celebrating birthdays, and seeing his older siblings get married or join the military. His family lived in Lompoc and was “very tight-knit.”…
KELSIE BUILDS RELATIONSHIPS, SPREADS THE WORD ABOUT THE MISSION
After spending her life on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, Kelsie Teves-Chang was looking for a change as she approached high school graduation. “When you live on an island, you can get island fever,” said Kelsie, who decided to go to college in California. “I had a roommate, and all my classes were set up.”…
DAVID RESTORES FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS AFTER HIS TIME ON THE STREETS
A native Texan, David, along with his mother, moved to Van Nuys at 17 years old to live with his sister. David’s mom suffered from depression, so he took on the role of caring for and looking after her. But David’s sister soon felt the weight of providing financially for him and his mom.…
JOHNNY FOCUSES ON REBUILDING TRUST, GROWING RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
Childhood was not easy for Johnny. Born in Lancaster and raised in Sacramento, at 8 years old Johnny’s parents divorced and he lived with his mom. “Growing up was rough,” he said. “I fought a lot with my mom, got in trouble at school, and moved from my mom’s to my dad’s.” The early school…
GEORGE FINDS GOD IN JAIL AND STARTS HIS NEW LIFE AT THE MISSION
When George looks back at his life, he acknowledges that he didn’t have much of a childhood. “When I was small, my mom abandoned me,” he said. “My dad wasn’t really around-he was but he wasn’t-usually in prison or jail. I kind of raised myself. A little bit of everybody helped out.” That included his…
GARY HOPES TO LIVE A QUIET, SOBER LIFE, AND RECONCILE WITH HIS DAUGHTER
Gary grew up in Buena Park in Orange County, near Knott’s Berry Farm. “I lived there when it was just a berry farm. Before it was anything that it is now,” he said. He grew up with both parents and his six siblings-three brothers and three sisters, all in the same house. He recalls his…
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
It’s December, and most of our supporters know what that means: Banquet season! Our Thanksgiving banquet was a huge success! We provided over 800 meals and thousands of blankets, coats and kids clothing to men, women, and kiddos in our community. Many of our guests are barely holding on emotionally and financially; this event is…
GREG RETURNS TO GOD AFTER PAINFUL LOSS LEADS HIM TO ALCOHOL
Greg is still consumed with love when he speaks of his wife, Cindy. She was the love of his life, and their marriage was blissful. Greg said they enjoyed each other’s company and looked forward to spending their evenings together. “Each day after work we would wait on the other to sit and relax and…
