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Home > Outreach Ministries > Lighthouse for Women & Children > Stories of Changed Lives Changing Lives for GoodLighthouse for Women & Children Lighthouse Women Speak about the Difficulties of Summer
Thank my Savior above that the Lighthouse doesn’t discriminate either. I no longer have to worry about if I will eat today. I no longer worry if I will be warm enough to sleep tonight. And though I never lost faith in God, I am constantly reminded by all of the wonderful blessings that the Lighthouse has provided how truly remarkable God and they are! I would most of all like to thank the wonderful staff at the Lighthouse and the donors for making me remember that I am worth loving! ~ Stacy Newman
The heat was unbearable at times, so I would drive to the park and get out my sons portable playpen and we would find some type of shade under a tree waiting for the sun to go down. At times, I would also wet my sons clothing so he would feel cooler and it helped him fall asleep. As time went by, I would open all my windows in the car and let the heat out so it would be cool enough for me and my son to go back in for the night. I would be so mad and upset to see that my sons’ milk had spoiled, because I didn’t have enough money to go to the store to get more for him to drink. This was the most horrible experience of my life. If only I had known about the Lighthouse before I lost custody of my son!
The Lighthouse has taught me life skills and how to build a relationship with God. Two things I didn’t have before coming into the Life Recovery Program. Because of my relationship with the Lord, I was able to make some life changing decisions for my children and I now have no regrets. I now have self-worth and know that I can do anything that I put my mind to. I don’t have to turn to drug or alcohol to deal with life or myself. I am currently a student at Oxnard College majoring in Addictive Disorder Studies. I’m looking forward to helping others the way I was helped. I am so grateful to God for giving me a second chance and for the Lighthouse Women and Children’s Mission. They continue to give me tools that I can use and store in my backpack on the road to recovery. Most of all, I have learned how to depend on God for the things I need and to see my through life challenges.
I’ve been in the Life Recovery Program for ten months and plan to graduate soon. Since I’ve started in the program, they’ve helped me learn to be independent by placing me at a vocational assignment. These are important job skills, which I had none of before, since I’ve been co-dependent most all of my life. First, I was placed in the kitchen at the Junewood facility, where I would prepare meals for 12 women and 15 children. I didn’t think I could do it, but I did. It was quite an experience! Recently I was transferred to the receptionist position at the Emergency Shelter. It’s been fun to get out and about. Learning to take the bus to and from my vocational training has been exciting. I get to come to the Emergency Shelter and help with answering phones, meeting, and greeting donors and clients, and a variety of other tasks. I’m becoming a contributing, normal member of society – something I’d never thought I’d be.
When I joined the life recovery program, my life was changed for ever. I learned new life skills and how God was the missing component of my life and in my sobriety. Part of being in program was to learn new job skills by doing vocational training. My vocational placement was at the call center here at Rescue Mission Alliance. While working at the call center, I learned how to be on time, be responsible, reliable, and accountable to and for my job responsibilities. After I graduated the Life Recovery Program, I applied to work for the Lighthouse. One of the best helps I had in getting hired (besides that the staff had watched me grow as I went through the program) was the reference my vocational supervisor gave. I have been working at the Lighthouse for the last two years where, not only am I able to apply my new life skills and job skills, but I’m also able to help other girls learn and apply these as well.
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God bringing me to the Lighthouse has made a great difference in my life. My family, my mother and sister, were so upset about my drinking that my mother kicked me out of the house. She dropped me off at the Lighthouse Shelter. I was hysterical and distraught and so the staff at the Lighthouse had Mental Health Services come and work with me. I spent time in the hospital and, when released, should have gone to the Lighthouse. But instead, I moved in with a guy I knew. Soon I was sleeping in my car with this guy and then in tunnels. I was panhandling for money. I did stupid things that could have landed me in jail. That guy failed me and hurt me in a lot of ways.
Nobody grows up thinking, “When I grow up I want to be homeless.” Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened to me. No amount of private education or “proper upbringing” made me exempt from the cold, hunger, or self loathing I experience in my five and a half weeks on the streets. I used to see people with signs begging for food and pitied “them.” It wasn’t until I was homeless myself that I realized that cold and hunger knows every race, creed, color, age and situation. Cold and hunger discriminates against no one.
My name is Susan Zorovich and I’m a client in the Transitional Living Program. I graduated from the Life Recovery Program in July of 2008. During my time in the recovery program, my vocational placement was the Call Center. I’ve continued to work at the Call Center during my time in transition. When I was in the rcovery program, I was very quiet, shy, and reserved. Working at the Call Center has helped me to become more of a people person. This skill will be needed when I work as a pharmacy technician. As I’ve said before, I’ve always been on the shy side and working at the Call Center on the phones has helped me become more personable and outgoing. I learned that working at the Call Center is much more than just saying a script, it’s about reaching out to the donors by asking how they are, listening, and conversing with them. You need to make that connection, which communicates concern and caring. People may be in the middle of something (an emergency, playing with kids, eating dinner) and may not want to talk. I also try to keep at the top of my mind that everyone is God’s creation and deserves respect. I know that all of these skills and attitudes that I’ve learned in the Call Center will work together for good to help me become successful when I go to work in the pharmacy setting. One of the main characteristics of a pharmacy tech is to have a concerned and caring attitude towards customers.
I graduated from the Life Recovery Program last month. I have been out applying for jobs and have been able to do so with confidence. I can look with confidence because of the vocational training I got while in the program. Doing vocational training gave me a sense of responsibility. I had to get up and do my part in helping out and work. It made me feel good about myself and confident. I worked my vocational training with joy in my heart to be a part of a working environment. It felt good to be sober and working just like any other normal person would. I am grateful I don’t have to be scared to get a job – I can be comfortable in who I am! ~ Darlene
I have been in the Lighthouse Life Recovery Program for a year now. I had been doing my vocational placement at the Oxnard Bargain Center for eight months working in production. That is the area where all the donations come and are prepared in the various departments for pricing. Then they are sent to the many thrift stores in three different counties. I had no idea how much work was involved and the many people it took to make this all happen. Besides learning to do new things in a working atmosphere, I have gained a new set of friends that are just like family. Due to a car accident, I have recently been doing my vocational placement at the Lighthouse’s Rose Avenue facility as the receptionist. I believe the staff goes out of their way to fit you into a job where you can learn something. They have helped me to get my self-confidence back and know that someone really cares as to what happens to me when I leave here. I’ve learned that I can do new things and that I can be a productive person in society again! ~ JoAnn
My name is Hollie. I am 33 years old and I was a homeless single mother before I lost custody of my son. We were sleeping in my 1992 Toyota Camry with no air conditioning. Trying to keep my son's milk for his bottles cold was nearly impossible. I tried to get ice for the bucket that I kept in the trunk of my car but the ice melted fast and the milk spoiled quickly-- much like the other food that we had. 
My name is Yolanda. I am currently in the Way Point Internship Program here at the Lighthouse. With the help of the Lighthouse, I have been sober 15 months and have been reunited with 3 of my children after 10 years.
My name is Andrea. Life before coming to the Lighthouse with my two-year-old son, Luis, wasn’t very “normal” for me. I was addicted to drugs and alcohol – and, to make matters worse, I was living on the streets and running from the law. I wasn’t a functioning member of society.
Hello my name is Christina Glass. Before I came to the Lighthouse Women and Children’s Mission's Life Recovery Program, I was in my addiction for several years. I started in my addiction after I had lost a child to meningitis in 1993, on Mother’s Day. I started drinking heavily, then started to use cocaine, and graduated to using crystal meth. During this time, I was getting into trouble with the law and getting deeper with my addiction. I knew I could not and was not able to take care of my other three children, so I temporarily gave them to my mother. 
