Hope was just 18 years old when she fled her home because of domestic violence. With nowhere to turn, she lived out of her car for an entire month. But God led Hope to Pacific Garden Mission, where life-changing help and lifesaving hope can always be found. Your support gave her a warm welcome and the tools she needed to cope with the fear and trauma she has endured and introduced her to the immeasurable love of Jesus Christ. Today, Hope is on a healing journey and she knows her future is filled with possibilities.

Meet Hope

“I grew up in a Christian family but to me it was all just religion, and I didn’t have a relationship with Jesus Christ. In my household there was a lot of fighting. As a kid, I was happy but as I got older, I realized something was off and that is when it got bad. My parents’ fighting became really physical when I was 16. I remember waking up on my 16th birthday and hearing my dad choking my mom. A lot of bad things started happening during that period.

“I struggled with self-harm since I was in sixth grade. I was depressed and got addicted to weed during this time. My life just kept dropping lower and lower. It was the worst time of my life. I was working, working myself to death, asking God to get me out of the situation at home. I just couldn’t take it—the work, high school AP classes, it all came down. I came home from work one day and my body was shaking. I couldn’t breathe and I was crying. It hurt just to be alive.

“I came home from work one day and my body was shaking. I couldn’t breathe and I was crying. It hurt just to be alive.”

“I felt a lot of fear. There was even a time when I would have reoccurring nightmares where I would be attacked in my sleep by demonic forces. I was going through so much spiritual warfare. That was one of the things that got me to quit smoking weed, because of all the things I was willingly letting in through that open door. I didn’t understand the spiritual aspect of it until I went through it and one day, the Lord just set me free. I threw everything out and He has been helping me, and I haven’t looked back.

“I was doing self-harm because that was the only way I knew how to relieve the pain I was feeling, which was too much for me to process. But I did something I had never done before. I had a Bible on my shelf and before I was going to self-harm, I grabbed the Bible. I opened it up randomly, and everything I read was like God speaking to me face to face, just like someone snapping their fingers or turning on a light switch. My eyes were opened and that is the moment that I believed Jesus Christ was real. That was the moment when I truly got saved and ever since that moment, He has been moving in my life and my relationship with Him.

“I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:”
Deuteronomy 30:19 KJV

“The fighting between my parents got worse and worse. It became more physical, with blood all over the walls, guns, and there was a knife and me cleaning blood off my mom’s face. I would wake up hearing her screaming, and this was ongoing. It was bad but Jesus was my light. He was my foundation. Jesus was the one who was there with me the whole time, and what the enemy meant for evil God meant for good. Whenever I cried to Him, He would show up and do miracles.

“It wasn't until I turned 18 that God finally made a way for me. I ran away from home. I snuck out of the window and left everything behind. I had my car that I used to get to Chicago. I grew up surrounded by cornfields, so coming to the city was new. I lost my car in the city of Chicago and couldn’t find it, so I started to sleep in a park. When I woke up, I was so cold. It was freezing. I didn’t know where to go, so I went to a motel. One Sunday, I was walking and found a church and the Holy Spirit told me to go there. They really helped me a lot.

“One lady there helped me find my car. Since the motel was too expensive, I lived in my car for about a month and that is when the people from the church connected me with Pacific Garden Mission. I came here and was an overnight guest for about five months, which was very hard. As I go through the fire, it seems the Lord is strengthening me and helping me more and more.

“PGM has helped me out a lot. I didn’t know peace at all until I came to PGM. They provided me not just with physical provisions but also with love. Especially coming to the Bible program, they know what love is and they shine the love of Jesus. It fills me with tears because I haven’t experienced that before. It is a blessing. I am going to Grace Bible Church and it is an awesome church.

“My plan from here is just to continue following God. As I follow Him, He reveals more of His plans for my life. I praise him through music and writing a comic about the Bible and Psalms. He is ministering to me, and it fulfills me to use the talents He gave me for His glory. Whether it is drawing or writing music for Him, worshipping or singing, whatever that may be, my life is for His glory and praise. He is just the one who truly fulfills me. My eyes are focused on Jesus and Jesus alone.”

Hope has found peace and relief at PGM and is finding God’s purpose for her life. She is truly thankful for the prayers and partnership of caring friends and donors who gave her safe refuge and the tools she needed to rebuild.

On behalf of Hope and so many other neighbors who are receiving the help they need, thank you for your ongoing support that makes this ministry possible. Many people who come to Pacific Garden Mission can completely change their lives for the good if they have the love and resources they need. We can provide those things with your help, so that people like Hope can find a new light in life.