The Domino Effect – Cherie’s Story

Cherie Amos-Persson had it all – a loving husband, four healthy children, a nice house, and a career in real estate. But then the dominos started to fall. When her husband passed away of colon cancer, Cherie, in addition to grieving her loss, had to move her family to a different, more affordable area of town. Three years later, when it came time to renew her lease, the landlord raised the rent $400 a month, which was out of her budget, so again she found herself looking for a place to live. But rent was high everywhere she looked, and as a last resort, she put all her belongings in storage and stayed in the cheapest motels she could find. As she considered moving to Massachusetts, where her adult sons were, Hurricane Ian struck in 2022, and her car was destroyed in the flooding. For the first time in her life, she didn’t have full insurance coverage, so the car was a total loss. For six weeks, she looked for housing. “Mom, I have an appointment in the morning, and I need you to go with me,” her daughter told her in November 2022. The bus dropped them off in front of the Family Home. “When I saw the sign, my heart dropped.” But when Cherie walked into the lobby and she saw how beautiful it was, nothing like she had imagined, her spirits lifted. In a meeting with the case managers, Cherie told her story, and that day she and her daughter were accepted as guests at the Mission. When she opened the door to her new room, all she could do was thank God. “It felt like it was home. I was so grateful.” Working in the kitchen during her discipleship helped Cherie get back into the flow of working with others. Her goal each day was to make everyone she met smile and make meals a happy experience for the other guests. Today, she has completed her assigned classes at the Mission and has only three more classes at Valencia to earn her AA in Business Management and Leadership. Cherie loves being around people and enjoys her new job at Publix, where she is in management training. She still thanks God for being with her through her struggles. Her daughter also completed her programs, earned her degree as a Medical Assistant, has her own car and apartment and a job with a company that helps visually impaired people. Through it all, Cherie has trusted God. “I have always known that God has a plan for me. Even if a portion of that plan is that I touch someone else’s life to help them on their journey, then we’re going to do that. I know there’s something greater, and I’m going to continue to do my best.” Cherie is thankful for the donors who make it possible for the Mission to provide a place for people like her who have fallen on hard times and need a little help to get back up on their feet. “Have faith even when the dominoes fall. The Lord is standing by your side.”