By the time Niki came to Open Door Mission at the age of 37, she had 150 entries on her police record, had been severely abused, and had endured decades of drug addiction.

“I started smoking and drinking when I was 12’ she says. “I dropped out of high school at 17 and started doing harder drugs when I was about 18.”

At 20, Niki met a boy who would change her life. I was with him for 14 years,” she says. “He was abusive, but I thought his jealousy was love. So I stayed with him, and we had our First child, Kathy, when I was 25.”

Niki’s troubles with the law began soon after. Abused and unhappy, drugs gave her a temporary lift. Before long, she was dealing crack for a local gang.

“The Omaha Police Department kicked in my door. I got possession with intention to deliver 140 grams of cocaine, criminal conspiracy, and possession of a firearm” she says.

Niki held on to her children, but the abuse she endured from their father escalated. Then came a night when he crushed the whole side of her face. After surgery she finally ended the destructive relationship but her troubles were far from over.

In and ont of jail for dealing drugs, Niki violated parole and ended up on the run from police. Surrender became her salvation. “I was ready to get my life together:” she says. “So I went to jail. Two days later, a chaplain told me that if I believed in Jesus, He would set me free... I fell on my knees and asked God to deliver me from the bondage of drugs and everything I’d been through. Peace came over me.”

Niki went straight from jail to Open Door Mission. Three days later, her daughters joined her to start the New Life Recovery programs together.

“It was the best thing I ever did" Niki says. “I graduated on January 24th.”

Today, Niki and her girls count each day as a blessing. The Mission’s programs have shown them how to reach up to a better life and a brighter future. Niki plans to study business administration so that she can open a day care someday.

“My life is so different. . .” she says. “I was a very self-centered, controlling person when I was on drugs. Now I probably think about other people more than I think about myself...and there’s a big difference in the relationship with my kids.”

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