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Brian keeps his eyes on God during MS battle
Brian grew up in the Los Angeles area with his mom, stepdad and two younger brothers. At 22, his grandmother died and he inherited nearly $200,000. “That’s not a good thing for a 22-year-old,” he said. “That’s when everything started going downhill. I was addicted to meth for a few years and then went to…
Crystal Nears Graduation And Focuses On Her Kids, Future As A Woman Of God
Crystal grew up in Oxnard, first with her mother, who is now a recovering addict, and then in foster care before being adopted by her grandparents. She had her first daughter at 18. “That’s when I started using drugs—first weed and then the harder stuff,” she said. “I had my second daughter when I was…
Louis Gives Up Drinking And Looks Forward To A Renewed Life
As Louis nears 50, he marvels at the clean bill of health he recently received from the doctor. “I’ve been drinking since I was 16. That’s 34 years,” he said. “I just thought I would have some health issues with the amount I’ve drank. But everything is OK.” Now that Louis is at the Mission,…
Bryce Gets Off The Streets And Back To The Mission
When Bryce was 2 years old, he was adopted, and grew up in Ventura. “My parents were well off and gave me everything I ever wanted,” he said. Despite being active in sports, playing football, baseball and soccer, he got into drinking and drugs, and his parents kicked him out. “I graduated from high school…
After Living On The Streets, Michelle Comes Home To The Lighthouse
Michelle grew up in Oxnard and had what she calls a normal childhood. “I never wanted for anything, but I grew up fast,” she said, having her first son at just 16. “I started getting into drugs, little by little. I was hanging around with the wrong crowd.” Michelle started dating a man in her…
Travis reconnects with God, family after addiction and homelessness
Despite stellar grades and honors classes, Travis says he was “hard to handle” growing up. After stints in military school and juvenile hall didn’t have an effect on his behavior, Travis’ parents kicked him out at 19. “I called my cousin, and ended up sleeping on her couch. I tried programs and sober living places,…
Graduate reclaims sobriety and her relationship with God
Chrystina grew up in a Christian family, attending church and taking ballet lessons. But her idyllic family crumbled before she was even 6 years old, when her father raped her older sister. “She miscarried his child,” Chrystina said. “She was only 13.” Her parents divorced, but her mom still put her through private school, and…
Aimee Graduates From The Lighthouse, Earns Respect From Her Kids
It wasn’t until her 30s that Aimee got caught up in drugs. She was prescribed painkillers after an old knee injury started acting up. When the prescription would run out and the refills couldn’t come fast enough, Aimee and her husband, who had recently undergone back surgery, started smoking marijuana. “The first time I ran…
After Years of Homelessness, Doug Commits to Changing His Life
For 16 years, Doug hasn’t had a place to call home. He’s been homeless, going from town to town, before settling in the Ventura Riverbed for the last five years. “I’ve been doing the wrong thing with drugs, with everything in my life, for the last 30 years,” he said. “I’m just tired of living…
Joe Tires Of “Running Away From Problems,” Finds Refuge At The Mission
Joe grew up in Oxnard, graduated from Channel Islands High School and worked in an auto body shop, a trade his dad taught him. He had two children he loved with his high school sweetheart. But Joe struggled with an addiction to alcohol and drugs. “Something just wasn’t there. I felt broken,” he said. The…
JR Commits To Recovery, Enjoys Beautiful Relationship With Son
JR met his girlfriend after high school, when they were working at the outlets in Camarillo. When she got pregnant, her dad helped JR get a job at Cal State Channel Islands. “That was probably the most successful part of my life and it was because of my son,” he said. “I worked at the…
Lighthouse Graduate Reconnects with her Children, Finds Love in Christ
Rebecca, a Ventura native, never liked drugs. Her husband was an addict, and she tried for years to get him to quit. “I was very against drugs,” she said. “I hated it. I used to put him down for it.” In 2001, after having four boys together, Rebecca’s husband died of a heroin overdose. “After…
