Amanda found herself in a desperate situation and reached out to the Mission. She completed the faith-based Hope for Women program and for several months served as a resident assistant in the program. Amanda in putting her life back together was anxious to get her three children back from CPS. In working with the Mission and the County’s Human Services Agency, she was able to become part of the Mission’s Hope for Families program. Now, Amanda has her children back and we are grateful for the way God is at work in her life. Here is her story:
“Hi, I’m Amanda! I am 27 years old and I’m from Atwater, Ca. My parents both were drug and alcohol users. My dad was very abusive to my mother, my siblings and me. My dad ended up leaving and eventually would land himself in prison while my mom lost herself to drugs and alcohol and lost her children too. When I was 13, my little brother and I went to live with my older sister and brother-in-law who were very loving and good to us. I took them for granted. I became rebellious and ran away time and time again. I would sneak out and go to parties and drink alcohol. I would black out at times. When I was 16, I was assaulted and raped multiple times, and after that I was used and abused by many men. It was what I was used to and what I thought I deserved. At 19, I began a relationship with a guy because I ended up pregnant and thought he was who I was meant to be with. In the end, we had three children together. He was very abusive mentally and physically, and I thought that was normal because that is how my father treated my mother. I would drown myself in alcohol to cover the pain. Eventually I lost control of myself completely and we found ourselves homeless, living in motels and then our car with our children. In July of 2019, I lost my children to CPS. I got deeper into depression and my addiction to alcohol and even though of suicide.
One day I cried out to God in my car, something I didn’t do at all. I hit the steering wheel over and over and cried and begged Him to help me. God heard my cry. The next day, August 29, 2019, I was accepted into the Rescue Mission. I went through seven months of the Hope for Women program and attended multiple Bible studies, classes and did many hours of community stewardship for Jesus.
When I graduated from my classes in March 2020, the Rescue Mission, together with the Human Services Agency, helped me get into one of the Hope for Families homes. On April 10, 2020 after turning my life over to God and giving everything to Him and working hard, I got my kids back from CPS! I am currently engaged to an amazing, God loving man and I am loving myself again! I am so very thankful for the Merced County Rescue Mission; whose program transformed my life and I’m especially thankful to the Lord our Savior because He saved me!”