Renewal Story: Charity

Last Christmas was a tough time for Charity. She had escaped an abusive relationship. However, she had tested positive for drugs while in transitional housing and her infant son had been taken away from her. Now she was at Union Gospel Mission of Tarrant County, safe but feeling very alone.

“It was a blessing, really, because I didn’t know where I was going to go,” Charity admits. With help from counselor, case worker and other support services, she began working toward getting her son back and enjoying a stable, secure life with him.

“I got a certificate for Cooking Matters,” Charity tells us. “I learned healthy ways of cooking food for my son.” Charity also took a domestic violence class that helped her understand the warning signs she hadn’t seen in her past relationships. To keep her addiction at bay, she took Relapse Prevention and attended AA/NA Celebrate Recovery every week. “I’m eight months sober today,” she says happily.

With another Christmas just a few weeks away, Charity is excited to spend the holiday with her son, now two years old. She recently moved to UGM-TC’s Family Center and looks forward to having a place of their own.

“I’m in computer training and I’m working at 60 words per minute, doing pretty well,” Charity reports. “I want to get into medical billing. I have goals today that I didn’t have before.” 

Charity’s friendship with Christ will help her follow through on her goals for herself and her son. “I’ve become so much closer to God than I’ve ever been in my entire life. I’m doing Bible studies every night,” she says. I’m glad that God’s delivered me from using drugs. I never want to go back.”

Newly confident, Charity says, “I know my value in God’s eyes and I know my value as a mother. I want the best for my future and for my son. I’m ready!”