Melissa shared that at first, the budgeting class was a struggle. She said, “I had no way to have a budget because I was out of work for so long. I was wary about the program because I didn’t know if I would get anything out of it without anything to budget.”
“When I went through the budgeting class, I could write my bills down but never my income. I was scared because I didn’t have anything. My view of it changed…I wish I could retake the budget class. It would have been more beneficial for me while I had someone there to walk through it with me.”
Melissa worked closely with Melissa Bouma and Mary Zoet throughout her time in the program. She shared that these women were crucial to her success in the program. “Melissa and Mary were a huge part of my journey. They got me from not working to working part-time and held me accountable.” She emphasized how important the support and accountability everyone in the program gives truly is. “I will probably still come here. I still need the support. This place is like a family that I never had, a community that I never had. I think a lot of the people here are the same way. They don’t have that support system out in the world, but they have that connection here because everybody has that compassion here. No one looks down on you.”
Melissa’s story is not only one of financial redemption but also a kingdom building faith journey. “Coming here I get to see the works of what God really wants us to do. I see other people leaving their families to come here and help broken people, and that shows a lot. So I hope to eventually come back and help here and be part of it.” When asked which class was her favorite, Melissa quickly said, “Freedom in Christ was my favorite. It was awesome, I wish I would take it like 5 times.” Melissa also shared that, “All of the programs gave us a chance to share our experiences and our emotions. It wasn’t a strict class, it was a chance to share and hear other’s stories. It was more of a discussion than a class.”
Not only did the Life Skills Program allow Melissa to reconnect with God and grow in her faith, but it gave her a purpose and showed her that she can be a light to someone else as well. At the end of our conversation, Melissa told me, “I tell everybody about Love In the Name of Christ. I definitely think that this helps. This shouldn’t be for only older people but for younger people too. I want younger people to know these skills before they get to where I was.” What a beautiful story of the way that our simple obedience to God’s call is changing lives in our communities every day.
