Thursday, November 13, 2008
Jenny's Story
Abuse. Addiction. Abandonment. Rape. Mental health issues. Poor economy. These are just a few of the reasons women and children become homeless. Wheeler Mission’s Center for Women and Children strives to be a beacon of light in the life of these homeless and needy of our community. Paulette and her staff work hard to develop a variety of opportunities for these ladies to get the help they need and get back on their feet. Some of the services we offer are safe shelter and nutritious meals, case management, counseling and mentoring, assistance with physical and mental health issues, job placement and supportive housing, long-term residential addiction recovery, Bible studies and life-skills classes, family and child development program, and aftercare for up to two years.
Jenny (not her real name) is just one of the many who found herself in need of help. Here is what Jenny has to say about how her experience at Wheeler:
My name is Jenny. I was a heroin addict for more than thirty years. I wasn’t living a normal life. I just existed each day. Because of my addiction to heroin I became homeless. I didn’t have any healthy relationships. I was separated from my family. I was a total dysfunctional. Heroin became the love of my life. I say love of my life because I developed a relationship with my addiction. You see, everything I had went to get that drug. I was so consumed with the lifestyle until I was deceiving myself. I believed that it was alright to lie and to steal from my family members. I thought they owed me something! Each day my soul was tormented with hurt, despair and hopelessness. I had nowhere to go, I had stolen and cheated everybody I knew and lied until no one wanted to be bothered. I had reached the point that I wanted to die.
I had been on a “binge” for two weeks, sleeping on the floor of an abandoned house with a few other people in my same situation, about to lose my job of 3 months. I was always waiting for someone to get a hit so I could tell them I’d pay them as soon as I received my check. This went on for a week until the guy who was running the place put me out! What just happened? I got put out of an abandoned house! I was so far in the mire until I couldn’t see. I had $10 so I got into a cab and went to Wishard. There, I went through detox for 7 days and then my case manager drove me to Wheeler’s Center for Women and Children and dropped me off. I was still very sick. After about 3 hours I ended up returning to Wishard, getting tests and an I.V. and returned to the Center. The next morning I was given a bed and talked with the staff about getting into the Higher Ground Program (addiction recovery program). I entered the program on December 13th. That was a new beginning for my life. Since being in the program I am allowing God to change me. In the Higher Ground Program I receive Bible class, group meetings, counseling. Everything is done biblically to help individuals to put their life together. What makes this change for me so real is I asked myself, “You know what? Do you really want real change?” and my answer is “Yes, through God.”
Wheeler Mission Ministries and people not unlike Jenny have been richly blessed by the generosity of our many donors and volunteers. If you’re one of our donors, THANK YOU! Through your generous giving we are able to continually meet the demands of the increasing numbers of those who need food and shelter in today’s economic climate. If you are not one of our donors, please consider making a gift right here on our secure web site. On behalf of our staff and those we serve, thank you.
Rick
Jenny (not her real name) is just one of the many who found herself in need of help. Here is what Jenny has to say about how her experience at Wheeler:
My name is Jenny. I was a heroin addict for more than thirty years. I wasn’t living a normal life. I just existed each day. Because of my addiction to heroin I became homeless. I didn’t have any healthy relationships. I was separated from my family. I was a total dysfunctional. Heroin became the love of my life. I say love of my life because I developed a relationship with my addiction. You see, everything I had went to get that drug. I was so consumed with the lifestyle until I was deceiving myself. I believed that it was alright to lie and to steal from my family members. I thought they owed me something! Each day my soul was tormented with hurt, despair and hopelessness. I had nowhere to go, I had stolen and cheated everybody I knew and lied until no one wanted to be bothered. I had reached the point that I wanted to die.
I had been on a “binge” for two weeks, sleeping on the floor of an abandoned house with a few other people in my same situation, about to lose my job of 3 months. I was always waiting for someone to get a hit so I could tell them I’d pay them as soon as I received my check. This went on for a week until the guy who was running the place put me out! What just happened? I got put out of an abandoned house! I was so far in the mire until I couldn’t see. I had $10 so I got into a cab and went to Wishard. There, I went through detox for 7 days and then my case manager drove me to Wheeler’s Center for Women and Children and dropped me off. I was still very sick. After about 3 hours I ended up returning to Wishard, getting tests and an I.V. and returned to the Center. The next morning I was given a bed and talked with the staff about getting into the Higher Ground Program (addiction recovery program). I entered the program on December 13th. That was a new beginning for my life. Since being in the program I am allowing God to change me. In the Higher Ground Program I receive Bible class, group meetings, counseling. Everything is done biblically to help individuals to put their life together. What makes this change for me so real is I asked myself, “You know what? Do you really want real change?” and my answer is “Yes, through God.”
Wheeler Mission Ministries and people not unlike Jenny have been richly blessed by the generosity of our many donors and volunteers. If you’re one of our donors, THANK YOU! Through your generous giving we are able to continually meet the demands of the increasing numbers of those who need food and shelter in today’s economic climate. If you are not one of our donors, please consider making a gift right here on our secure web site. On behalf of our staff and those we serve, thank you.
Rick
