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Eduardo commits to life change for himself, his family
When Eduardo was 15, he met a girl and started working for her uncle as a deejay. “He gave me my first turntables and taught me the first techniques I needed, that I still use today.” Eduardo got married and went to work for 100.3 FM. He got his own nightly show on the popular…
Mark sets goals and prays for full restoration with his wife, children
When he reflects on his upbringing as the youngest of nine siblings, Mark recalls chaos and a lack of affection. “There was a lot of fighting and confrontation going on,” he said. “There were never loving words expressed, or any hugging, or saying ‘I love you,’ or anything of that sort. “My father was an…
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…
