“I was so grateful to get my kids back.”
Beatrice was raised by her mother. Her father struggled with addiction and was in and out of prison. He was released when Beatrice was a teenager, which is when her own battle with addiction began. “I started using what my dad used,” she said.
By the time she was 24, Beatrice was a mother with an apartment of her own –but the stability was temporary as her struggles with substance abuse continued. “We experienced homelessness for about three years,” she says.
During that time, she and her kids came to the Mission for meals, but she wasn’t yet ready for real change. It took going to jail to finally open her eyes. “As soon as I got out of jail, I came to the Mission with my kids, and I’ve been here ever since.”
“I was so grateful to get my kids back and have the opportunity to start over.”
Life at the Mission gave Beatrice and her children the healing and stability they hadn’t known before. It was especially beneficial for her son, who has special needs. She also started growing in her relationship with the Lord.
“Before, I was struggling to find my purpose. Now I am following God,” she says.
Today, Beatrice and her children are living in transitional housing, which is preparing them for a future outside the Mission. Classes, Bible studies and accountability are also helping Beatrice stay grounded in her recovery and build a brighter future.
This Easter, Beatrice has a new direction for her life. Thank you for lighting the path forward for her to experience a future of hope and peace! “I wish I’d known earlier that you don’t have to just survive. There’s a better way to live,” she says. “I’m thankful to The Mission at Kern County for giving my children and me a safe place to heal.”
Read the full Easter 2026 Newsletter here.