Solitia says, “I come from a very dysfunctional family. Both of my parents used drugs. When I was born they both got locked up in jail. So I went to live with my grandmother who didn’t use. I was born prematurely at six and a half months, and I was hooked on heroine.”

“From the age of 12 I drank. I never really knew anything different. My parents used drugs all my life. My dad lived in the garage and used drugs and sold drugs. There were always ‘dope fiends’ at the house. I resent my parents and it hurts me that they used and chose drugs over me.

`So I did drugs for seven years, until I found out I was pregnant with my son. Then I thought that I would never use while I was carrying a child, but I did. You can’t just quit heroine. My child’s father told me we could quit on our own, but I told him I thought he was crazy. I knew I would go through withdrawals. I decided to go to a program. So I went to a program and had my son there and remained sober seven years.”

No longer alone in her fight against addiction, Solitia explains, “After seven years, I started to dabble a little bit with alcohol and pot again. I could always cut that off. Then I did a little meth, but couldn’t cut that off. At this time, I was in San Diego and became homeless. My friend had gone through the Lighthouse program, so she brought me here to the shelter. At first they couldn’t accept me, but a few weeks later I interviewed and got in. I have been at the Lighthouse for a while now.”

At the Lighthouse, Solitia has learned to trust God. She shares, “My relationship with the Lord has been so strengthened. I get up at 4 o’clock in the morning and read the Bible when no one else is around. This place is such a blessing. All the donations everyone gives are beautiful. It is amazing how much they do to help people. My plan is to go through the program, get a job, get a place, and bring my son, who is in Hawaii, back to live with me. There are some details right now that are up in the air and I’m scared, but I’m trusting in the Lord and my hope is that my son will come and live with me one day and it will be because of God.”