“I knew there was something beyond this way of living, but I just felt trapped.”
Eraca remembers the early years of her childhood being filled with laughter, tradition and joyful bonds. “I was particularly close to my grandma – she was such a fun and beautiful lady,” she shares. So, when Eraca was 8 and her grandma passed away, she experienced her first real trauma.
After losing someone so special, Eraca struggled to cope with the grief… so she started overeating to fill the void. “The kids at school made fun of me. It was hard,” she recalls. By age 13, she was persuaded to try substances to numb her pain. That’s when she began to spiral into a cycle of addiction, relapse and instability that carried over into adulthood.
Even with periods of sobriety, once Eraca’s mother also passed away, grief pulled her back into addictive behaviors. “I knew there was something beyond this way of living, but I just felt trapped.” Finally, with the support of family members, she surrendered to God and was led to the Mission.
“The color was gone from my days… but then, I went from darkness to light.”
Eraca arrived at the Mission determined to pursue lasting change. “At first, I was scared, but then I felt welcomed – I knew I was where I belonged.” She began her healing journey through life skills classes, spiritual growth and giving back in meaningful ways around the Mission.
With the support of our staff, Eraca was able to face her fears and rediscover creativity and purpose. “I learned to fully trust God, and I know that He wants me to take care of myself.” She now looks toward a bright future that includes making art and helping others.
Because of you, neighbors like Eraca know that God loves them and they are worthy of a new beginning. Thank you for opening the door to hope and healing this summer! “I’m grateful for the unconditional love I was shown at the Mission. Now, I believe recovery is not only possible, but beautiful!”