Now she’s graduated and is looking to the future

“I just looked up one day and I was homeless,” Sara said when asked how she came to the Mission. Sara, originally from Mississippi, moved to California, but when her mother became ill, she moved back to help her parents. “My family is incredibly close, we’re all best friends. I’m the oldest of 6, so I resigned from my job, gave up my apartment, and went back to Mississippi to help.”

Sara (second from the left), hit financial trouble after a COVID-related layoff.

Unfortunately, Sara had multiple deaths in her family in quick succession. Sara’s mother passed away in 2013, her father in 2018, and her brother in 2020. It was after the death of her father that Sara relocated back to California, briefly moving in with her brother and sister-in-law.

Sara found employment and her own place, but in 2020, due to Covid-related layoffs, she lost her job. With no income, Sara could no longer afford her apartment or car, and had nowhere to go. But she didn’t tell her family. “I didn’t tell anyone. I acted like everything was still fine. I didn’t want to be a burden. Between being homeless and the deaths, I got into a depressive mood,” Sara shared.

Sara’s sister-in-law found out about Sara’s situation and told her about the women’s Life Recovery Program at RMA Victor Valley. Sara remembers what it was like when she first arrived. “I was scared, I didn’t know what type of place this was. But then I started getting used to the routine, the rules, and gradually I started to like it a lot. The staff are really nice and so are the ladies.

“It was a big change because I never knew places like this existed. The hardest part was being in a new, strange place and not knowing the outcome. I’ve never been in this position before, so I didn’t know what was going to become of me. I didn’t know they had shelters for men or women. I was naïve to a lot of things.”

While at the Mission, Sara enjoys serving others, often helping in the thrift store. Her favorite part is serving at the weekly farmer’s market.

“We make baskets of food for the homeless. I love giving them out, they always have such big smiles on their faces. It’s good to see their friendly faces and how happy they are to receive a basket,” she said.

After graduating, Sara’s planning to work at a local church. It’s one of the ways she “loves thy neighbor,” an inspirational passage for her. “Like I said, I was naïve to a lot of this, so it’s good to see that there are people out there serving people, giving out gift baskets or serving food, and making others feel comfortable so they come back the next day. I’m glad to be a part of that.

“If anyone is struggling, I want to encourage them to come here. Don’t be embarrassed, give it a try. Just believe in yourself and God.”