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David nears 10 years of sobriety, enjoys restoration with family
David was an addict for 20 years – starting at just 16 years old – and cycling through various drugs and alcohol. “It started with meth,” he said. “Then I quit and alcohol got a hold of me for about 10 years. Then I quit drinking. But not long after, I got hurt and started…
Noel nears a decade of sobriety after life-changing Mission stay
Noel is less than a year away from hitting a major milestone: one decade of sobriety. “The Mission literally saved my life,” he said. “It worked wonders on me.” Noel started drinking when he was just 10 years old. “We had 37 fruit trees on our property in Washington, and whenever fruit fell to the…
Eveline reunites with her 5 children, paves new path forward
She is learning about Jesus for the first time Despite getting pregnant at 16, Eveline continued attending classes, and went on to graduate high school. But she remembers being tired all the time. Once she tried meth, she was hooked. “I tasted it and I liked it,” she said. “I like the energy it gave…
Darien gets back on his feet, finds stable housing, and helps others along the way
Hope and restoration are for all in need, not just those who struggle with addiction. And Darien, a native Georgian, knows this firsthand. When the pandemic hit in 2020, Darien lost his job, his home, and his family. “After we lost the house and one of our cars, my ex moved with our kids to…
Anna will welcome her baby boy next month, with the support of the Lighthouse
Three years ago, Anna experienced a tremendous loss when her baby boy passed away at just 3 days old. Now, with just a month to go in her pregnancy, Anna is feeling blessed to be preparing for her new son surrounded by love and support from the women at the Lighthouse. “I have a big…
Christina hopes to find stability and freedom from addiction
When asked if she grew up with both parents, Christina takes a pause. She was raised with the man she believed was her father. However, she found out later that her mom had an affair, and she was a product of that. At 5 years old, her mom married her biological father. This was a…
Volunteer helps get running club off the ground
Edgar Rivera first came to the Mission with his church, Calvary Ventura. The group served a meal and Edgar immediately wanted to get more involved. What happened after that first volunteer experience? Something got through to my heart. It was really just an idea I had to tie spiritual and physical health together. That’s what…
Running club offers opportunities to create goals and cross finish lines
When Francisco and his wife first met in high school, they had their whole futures ahead of them. They graduated and Francisco attended college for a few years. They spent 15 years together in Utah, and had two children. But about five years ago, things took a turn. “We had our lives together and then…
Diana is ‘keeping a strong grip’ on Jesus as she heals
As Diana grew older, she felt out of place. When she was 13 years old, Diana learned that she had been adopted as an infant. “I felt betrayed, but finally understood why I didn’t fit in and felt disconnected from other family members,” she said. After learning she had been lied to, tension grew between…
Vocational programs are meant to build ‘confidence in recovery’
This is the third story in a series chronicling “The Journey from Homelessness to Home,” a theme the Ventura County Rescue Mission is honoring this year. This month, we look into the Mission’s vocational programs and how they provide the men with skills, confidence, and hope for the future. Since a very young age, Adam…
LIFE RECOVERY PROGRAM OFFERS VINNY, OTHERS, THE SUPPORT TO HEAL AND GROW
Vinny’s father was an alcoholic, and was abusive to him and his mother. When he was 10, his parents divorced. “We left him,” said Vinny, who lived in Port Hueneme. “So I grew up with a single mother raising three kids. My dad was in and out of the picture. He’d appear and disappear.” When…
AFTER YEARS OF TRAFFICKING AND ABUSE, VICTORIA FINDS HEALING AT THE LIGHTHOUSE
Growing up, Victoria constantly felt less-than. Both of her parents had other children and their affection for them was greater than that for Victoria. “I was told I was unwanted as a child, so I did whatever it took to get any attention from them.” Victoria started harming herself in sixth grade. Over the next…
