Maeling Won’t Allow Her Past to Define Her
Maeling and her 6-month-old daughter were living with her boyfriend in 2011 when the unthinkable happened: She was raped by one of his friends. Shattered and frightened, she took her little girl and fled the house. She quickly found herself scraping together the basic necessities for daily living- which felt more like survival – while […]
Lucy Puts Faith in God, Finds Her Purpose in Life
Lucy and her 3-year-old son moved from Chicago to Fort Myers, where they stayed her sister’s family. A short time later, the whole family relocated to Deltona, and that’s when Lucy saw she was wearing out her welcome. “There wasn’t any fighting, just an uncomfortable quiet,” she said. “She was tired of having us there […]
Lisa Answers God’s Call, Leaves Old Life Behind
At the lowest times of her life, when she was drunk more than she was sober and working as an exotic dancer, Lisa heard God calling out to her. Repeatedly. “There was something shifting inside me. I was desiring a better life,” she said. “I didn’t understand it at the time, but God was drawing […]
In Her Own Words, Pat’s Story of Redemption
I came to Florida in 2004 to build a life of my own. It didn’t take me long to find a job and buy a house. But in 2007, I lost my job and was unable to find stable employment. Consequently I lost my car, home, and most of my possessions. After losing everything, I […]
From Hungry and Homeless to Giving Her All to God
Deonna and her fiancé came to Florida in search of a fresh start. Instead, their problems followed them down here from Allentown, Pa., and were compounded when the money ran out. “Our relationship took a turn for the worse. We started arguing and it wasn’t good for our kids,” Deonna said. “Within a week of […]
Mission Was Lisa’s Light at the End of the Tunnel
The photo, of Lisa and three of her sons in their room at the O.U.R. Mission Home, reminds her of a time when she was penniless, scared and all alone. But it also represents the start of a new life for the family. “It was our light at the end of the tunnel,” Lisa said […]
Couple Leaves Stress of Streets, Finds Hope
Maybe it was stubborn male pride. Or his preconceived idea of what living in a homeless shelter would be like. Whatever the reason – perhaps a combination of the two – Juan did not want to move into O.U.R. Mission Home in March 2012. Fortunately, his pregnant wife, Yadira, made a convincing argument otherwise. “When […]
Tia Finds Hope, Healing During Her Darkest Hour
When Tia’s husband walked out on her and their seven children in 2007, she didn’t have time to get upset or grieve. He was the breadwinner of the family, so when he left the family was left with nothing. Tia immediately went to work doing medical billing and coding department so she could support her […]
Aquila Learns to Leave Her Bitterness Behind
“When I came to Florida, I was running,” confesses Aquila. She was a walking mess of hurt, anger, and fear – and understandably so. She had decided to leave an abusive marriage during the summer of 2007, but that also meant leaving her job, car, and life in Virginia. With three children to care for […]
Pulled From the Brink: Ian’s Story
“I was at rock bottom. The only way I could be any lower was if I was dead.” When Ian walked into the Mission’s Men’s Division emergency shelter in April, he was hungry, hurting and hopeless. For three weeks he had been walking the streets of Orlando, lugging a duffle bag with all his possessions […]