Melissa can’t believe how much her life has changed since entering the program.

Born and raised in Lompoc, life for Melissa was “chaotic.” Her parents were unmarried, and her father soon disappeared from her life. “My last memory of him,” she recalled, “was watching him beat my mom while I was holding my little sister.” 

Her mother raised Melissa and her siblings mostly on her own, later remarrying. Though Melissa’s father struggled with his mental health and spent time in institutions, she still spent holidays with his side of the family.

Melissa grew up surrounded by faith, attending New Life Christian Academy. “I always had God in my life,” Melissa shared. But as a teenager in public school, life began to shift. “I started meeting new people, doing different things.” Her mother worked long hours, leaving the kids to themselves. “Our house became the party house. My siblings and I partied a lot.”

At 16, Melissa became pregnant and gave birth to a baby girl at 17. Her grandmother, who had been a strong influence in her life, passed away soon after. Melissa married young and had another child by 18, but the relationship didn’t last. 

“We got drunk one night, he left, and that was it,” she said. He took her two children, just 4 and 2, and moved to Texas — leaving Melissa alone, scared and struggling. She hasn’t had any contact with her children since.

Depression and anxiety took hold, and Melissa began drinking heavily, eventually turning to methamphetamines. “My whole life went downhill,” she said. Homeless, without a high school diploma, she spent years in and out of detox centers and recovery programs. “I gave up. I didn’t want to live anymore. I was mad at God for everything that happened with my husband and my kids.

“I would sit at the bus stop 24 hours a day, seven days a week, just waiting for someone to change my life.”

But even in her lowest moments, Melissa now knows God was with her. “I was in jail, crying and begging God for an answer. That’s when my public defender’s assistant told me, ‘I’m putting you in the Mission. It’s the best program for you’.” 

Coming to RMA CC was the turning point. “I had a problem with meth — it overpowered my whole state of mind,” Melissa admitted. “But being here gave me a spiritual awakening. The devil wanted me to think bad things, to stay anxious and hopeless, but I’ve learned to rebuke that. I’m not 100 percent healed, but I’m making progress. Everything has changed for me.”

Melissa’s counselor, Program Manager Celia Gonzales, has been a huge influence. “She changed my whole life. She helped me realize it’s not just about me. I’m learning boundaries, thinking before I speak, and listening more.”

Today, Melissa attends Lifeway Church and is working toward her GED, her number one goal. She dreams of returning to work in administration. Most of all, she hopes to rebuild her relationship with her children once she’s stable and employed.

“This program is beautiful,” she said. “I see it change people’s lives every day. The staff feel like family. The Mission has changed my life — I’ll never stop saying that.”