Jovia is now in the Ministry Resident Program and loves serving the residents.

Jovia was just 6 years old when her world changed forever. Born in Africa, she lost both of her parents during the Rwandan genocide.

After the tragedy, Jovia was raised by her aunt until she moved to the United States as a teenager. She took adult education classes to learn English and worked multiple jobs. Most of the little money she earned went to helping others. “I was concerned about my family members in Africa, so I helped in every way that I could,” she said. “I know what it’s like to grow up poor, so I wanted to help when I was in the position to do so.”

That generosity made a real difference. Jovia helped three children stay in school and supported several others with their education. But back home, her own life was unraveling.

She had her daughter, Mishak, now 10 years old. But just three months after her birth, Jovia’s partner left. “I realized I wasn’t in control of anything,” she said. “I was patient with myself in the beginning, but each year, things got worse. I struggled for a while and then I couldn’t struggle anymore. I fell.”

In 2015, Jovia and Mishak were unhoused for the first time. By July 2023, they were living in Jovia’s car. “We stayed in that car for seven months,” she said. “It was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done. I can’t believe we made it out alive. A lot of things happened during that time.”

Their turning point came when they found the Lighthouse. “The first thing I did was enroll my daughter in our new school district,” Jovia recalled. “Then, I had to learn how to trust people again. At the Lighthouse, I laid everything down.

“I was scared out of my mind,” she added. “I hadn’t interacted with the rest of the world for a long time. The Lighthouse was an intimate, safe place to begin again—and I gave all I had to make it.”

With support, structure, and spiritual encouragement, Jovia began to heal. She also paid off debt that had weighed her down for years. “Being at the Lighthouse enabled me to close that chapter of my life. The glory goes to God,” she said.

But what she values most is what she gained spiritually. “Above all, they (staff) were pointing me to trust in God, which was a bigger and better mission to me. I used to think I had to carry everything on my own. But here, I’ve learned how to let go and walk with God.”

Jovia and Mishak at the Ventura County DA’s office. Mishak hopes to become a future DA!

Jovia completed the Life Recovery Program in December 2024 and is now in the Ministry Resident Program. She often drives residents to appointments. “But I probably drive them crazy,” she laughed. “I’m excited to finally do something with my life that doesn’t just involve me, to do something that helps others.”

Her daughter Mishak is thriving too. Initially struggling with school, Mishak recently received a special award for her writing. Additionally, after learning that Mishak wants to be a District Attorney, Ventura County DA Erik Nasarenko personally invited them for a visit. “I thought he was kidding,” Jovia said. “It was awesome. It meant the world to see someone believe in her and invest in my daughter’s dream.”

While Jovia knows the road ahead won’t be easy, she still feels blessed. “Not all my problems are (passing) smoothly. But I caught a break. I know now that God is on my side, and I don’t have to live in fear anymore. Each day brings new growth and purpose.

“I’m very grateful that there’s such a place like the Lighthouse where broken people can come to mend themselves, that there’s such a place that understands those that no one else understands and that there’s such a place that offers a light of hope to those that could not find it anywhere else.

“The Lighthouse is truly where healing begins, and hope is restored.”