“It was God who saved me” James loved playing baseball; he excelled at it, too. Almost as much as the game itself, he enjoyed coaching younger kids and helping them develop their skills. So after college, when he failed to

“The Best Decision of My Life” At 6 years old, Duan saw a man get shot as he got off the school bus. He witnessed another murder at the age of 16. While these events offer graphic insight into the

“It took me losing everything”   An only child, Sheila was raised by a single mom who abused alcohol and suffered a string of broken marriages. “There were a lot of people in and out of my life, and a

“I had no sense of belonging.”   Alone. On her own. With no one to talk to – much less to guide her – Kie’Arra found herself homeless at age 15, after enduring a traumatic childhood. “When I was 6

“I am beautifully and wonderfully made.”   Born to a woman barely more than a child herself, Venus enjoyed a happy, if unconventional, upbringing. The young mother and daughter were “adopted” and cared for by an older couple whom Venus

“Without Him, I Have Nothing.” As a young man, raised by his grandmother in Chicago, J.B. understood the bleak outlook for kids in the inner city where gangs, substance abuse and violent crime were prevalent and often the only means

“I’m happy. I’m genuinely happy!” The violence began before she was old enough to comprehend it. But once Tasha understood that her father was abusing her mother, she continually asked herself, “Why is this happening?” When Tasha was 12, her

“The Mission supports my healing as a whole.” “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not

“I need to be worth it for myself.” Born in Poland and an only child, Margaret came with her family to the United States when she was 11 years old. Although she didn’t know the language, expectations for the little

“I decided I needed God’s help.” It began with a poor decision. “I didn’t know anything about using drugs,” Mikel says, “how it affects you… how it makes you act.” So, in an effort to be open-minded with a friend