After her parents divorced, Sandra lived with her grandparents. But soon, her mother came for her and her brothers and sisters. “She remarried and wanted the welfare,” explains Sandra. Sandra’s mother neglected her children completely so they “raised themselves,” attending school sporadically and doing odd jobs to buy food.

Sandra dropped out of school officially in ninth grade. From that point, much of her life was consumed with alcohol and drug use, failed relationships, bar fights, prison cells and homelessness.

The craziness stopped when her attorney called Open Door Mission. “I’m here instead of jail,” she says gratefully.

Now on the New Life Recovery programs at ODM’s Lydia House, Sandra is learning to live in the hope and strength of God. “I’m working on 40 years of rough life,” she says. “I have a lot of spiritual needs, but I have more hope in my life than I’ve ever had before.”

“I’m able to open up with the counselors here,” she continues. “They make me feel wanted and give me confidence in myself. They help me realize I’m special and I am somebody.”

Sandra also draws strength from her peers on the programs . “We all have our ups and down, but we can look up to each other too. We get a lot of good input from each other.”

For the first time in many years, Sandra is looking toward a stable, peaceful future. To prepare she will soon get a job, and counselors at the mission will help her learn to manage her money. “I have plans to find my own small house. My relationship with my husband and children is building. I’m a grandma, too. I want to be there … be the mother I should have been.”

As this new creature in Christ continues to grow, she looks forward to giving back some of the blessings she has received at Open Door Mission. “My plans for the future are to volunteer at the mission’s emergency shelter, be helpful to others, provide for others. As long as I’m strong in God, I can be helpful to other people.”

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