was raised in a single parent household with a father who was drug addicted, and in and out of prison my whole life. I was always missing something. I had dealt with a tremendous amount of trauma by the time I was in my adult years, and found myself latching on to unhealthy, toxic relationships. There came a day when I became a single parent raising three children.
At the age of 30 I fell into an extremely abusive, narcissistic relationship. My abuser introduced me to drugs and used them to control me. The abuse steadily increased to the point where I almost lost my life. At the end of this five-year nightmare I was alive, but I was just an empty shell of a human. I was going through the motions, but my soul, or who I was as a person, was missing completely. I had lost touch with my inner being. I found myself self-medicating, using daily just to get out of bed. I was pushing myself farther into darkness having no light to pull myself from this. My life continued to spiral downward. I became involved with the wrong people, being in the wrong places at the wrong times and found myself in Kendall County Jail on February 2, 2023.
Little did I know that Pod A would become my new home for the next 74 days. I remember walking into the tank and seeing one of the girls sitting at the table working on a workbook. I inquired as to what she was doing, and she told me that she was in the Christian Women’s Job Corps program, and I should sign up for the next round of classes. Thank God I did.
I will never forget my first class, or meeting Monay and the other amazing women who volunteer their time. Walking into that first
class was the first step into my life being changed forever. Week after week, class after class, I was being filled. My soul was ignited with Scripture. I was gaining knowledge that gave me the power and courage to overcome my past. It was because of this program that within the walls of Kendall County Jail, I was healing.
I graduated from the program on April 11, 2023, and was released from Kendall County Jail on April 14. I walked with my head held high knowing that I was a child of God, that God has a plan for me, and I have a purpose to fulfill.
In these last 5 months I have had an abundance of love and support from my family. I have also been blessed with the most amazing church family here in Boerne. I completed my High School Equivalency Diploma and I’m now working at Starlite Recovery and Rehabilitation as a behavioral health associate.
Christian Women’s Job Corps taught me that by having the faith of a tiny mustard seed you will say move to your mountain, and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you. This is a Scripture that I share daily with my clients, planting seeds of hope and faith and using my testimony to encourage the possibility of change. Just as the women of Christian Women’s Job Corps did for me.
Christian Women’s Job Corps was a vital part of my journey and has forever changed my life.
