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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…
Brianna Puts Her Family First, Leaves Addiction Behind
Brianna met her husband Justin at just 19. They started taking opiates recreationally, but it turned into a full-blown addiction. “I just had to have pills to even go to work,” she said. “I remember the first time not having them I called Justin and I was telling him, ‘I need something. I’m hurting so…
Kellen Feels ‘Closer To God Every Day’
Kellen always wanted to go to college at a big football school. He chose the University of Alabama, joined a fraternity, and started partying “way too much,” he said. “I wasn’t attending a lot of my classes, and I was doing a lot of drinking, coke—just kind of going crazy for a couple years.” Kellen…
Sean Trades in Prison Life for a Healthy Future
Sean, 34, has spent most of his adult life in prison. While he came from a good family in Santa Maria, Sean said he just gravitated toward a bad crowd in school. “I started using drugs and getting into trouble,” he said. “I was sent to a juvenile boys camp when I was 17, and…
Jasmin Looks For A Fresh Start At The Lighthouse
Jasmin grew up in the Oxnard neighborhood surrounding the Lighthouse. She started getting into some trouble at age 9, and after a traumatic childhood event, things got worse. “I was raped at 11, and after that happened, I just had this feeling that I wasn’t worth anything anymore. I turned to drugs and gangs. That’s…
Alcohol Costs Pastor His Wife And Church
Todd, a young, married pastor in a small town in Indiana, remembers the moment his drinking ruined his life. “It was Christmas 2002. I tried to get up and preach drunk. It was a fairly large church and I was publicly humiliated. Everything changed that night. I was fired the next day and I quickly…
