Shaneika – September 2016

Shaneika, former guest in bed #39, studying in her dorm.

Every day at the mission, we battle doubt. A person with poor hygiene, no manners, no work history, no sobriety is easy to doubt. “I doubt that person will ever get a job” or “I doubt that person will do what’s right” or “I doubt that person will ever change.” Doubt is the start of acknowledging impossible. But should we ever acknowledge the impossible when we’re praying to a God for whom nothing is? When Christ looked on the blind, the diseased, the poor, the prostitute, He saw what most didn’t; possibility. For more than a year, we prayed for Shaneika always in faith believing God to do what the world doubts possible. And He did.

“My life has never been easy, no stability, no true honest identity, no love. The time that impacted my life the most was when I was raped and fell into the victim role in society and I became a meth, heroin, and crack addict, giving my two children up for adoption because I was living a horrible, disgusting life.

Watered Gardens showed me love, stability, and hope; they didn’t judge me based on who or what I used to be, they accepted me and led me to find Jesus Christ. Watered Gardens molded me to be the woman I am today, I am a student living on campus at Ozark Christian College going for my BA in ministry.

I was born a sinner but had I not gone through my situations I would have never found God. I want to share that good news.”