By Stephanie Davis
Recently we wrote to you about Erin*, one of our Shepherd’s Gate program graduates. Although she stood strong through her younger years, eventually her mother’s neglect and incarceration took a toll. Erin’s mother introduced Erin to meth, and her life quickly spun out of control.
She was so desperate for drugs that she became an escort in order to support her habit. But eventually, she lost everything, wearing only the clothes on her back.
She met and fell in love with a man who turned out to be one of her greatest miseries. He abused and trafficked her for sex.
One of the most heartbreaking things about Erin’s story is that she had such low expectations of her future — she kept thinking about her days as an escort as the ‘good times’. That was the best her life had ever been – until now.
Erin came to Shepherd’s Gate and entered our long-term program. She is now a program graduate and is turning her life around. She is working, getting her education, and is close to getting her own place to live. She even remained strong when her mother — still trapped in her addiction — offered her the same drugs that used to imprison Erin.
Please pray for Erin as she continues to grow stronger in the Lord! Thanks to you, she is finally experiencing true hope — the kind she wasn’t even able to imagine a few years ago. Because of your kindness and support, she is looking ahead and trusting God for her future.
*Name changed for privacy
(photo courtesy of Christos Tsoumplekas)