Crystal enjoys spending quality time with the
other women in the program. She’s grateful for
God’s love and redemption.

After witnessing multiple family members struggle with drug and alcohol addiction, Crystal was “very cautious about using drugs. I was never going to,” she said. At 19, Crystal moved out of the house she shared with her sister as partying, drinking, and drug use became the norm. At 20, Crystal started taking college prerequisite classes for nursing school.

“What I saw in my family was that everyone struggled financially, and no one went to college… I wanted to do something different.” In 2015, Crystal graduated nursing school and received her RN license.

It was during her second year as a nurse that a coworker gave Crystal a prescription painkiller. She started taking them every day before work. Crystal said it made her feel “happier, friendlier, and like I could do more for my patients.” Eventually, Crystal was fired from the hospital. Crystal’s addiction grew as she continued to work as a traveling nurse, where she would call in other peoples’ prescriptions for herself and people she knew. She was arrested and her nursing license was revoked.

Crystal met her husband while in a recovery program, they wed, had two children, and her nursing license was reinstated. Unfortunately, both relapsed and their children were removed from their care. Crystal knew she needed help, and her mother recommended the women’s Life Recovery Program at RMA Central Coast.

“The program has been one of the most amazing experiences I have ever had. Celia (Gonzales, program manager), has it set up where we don’t have our phones during certain phases. Having no phones takes away the major distractions that many people have, so we’re forced to interact with each other. I’m building relationships with these very different women.

“Before, I always isolated myself. I had anxiety around people. I had levels of irritation that scared my family, now I’m learning patience. I’m learning to sit in irritation where I don’t need to react. But building these relationships has been awesome. I have joy that I have never felt. I have happiness. I get excited to come back to the house and share with the other women more intimately.”

After graduation, Crystal is excited to spend more time with her children and husband. Although Crystal would like to be a stay-at-home mom and wife, she’s working towards reinstating her nursing license with the help of the Mission. “I want my kids to know I’ve been successful; I worked hard for my license,” she said.

Crystal is amazed by how God has redeemed her life. “I feel incredibly blessed to have this opportunity that not everyone who is hurting or struggling gets to have. It’s amazing that we have donors that support this, that we can live in a beautiful house and not have to worry about food, clothing, or rent.

“I’m just so grateful for the love of Christ and for the people that are willing to put their faith in the program. I feel a love that I have never felt before.”