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"Not a shelter made of bricks, but a heart that understands, that covers, that loves." |
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Staphanie Shares Her Story …It’s been a long time since I have been a productive member of society. In fact I don’t think “productive” has been a word that would describe any part of my life. From the day I was born, it seems, my life has been one big struggle after another. When I was 7 years old my little brother and I were taken away from our Mom. I was moved from foster home to foster home, group home to group home, never knowing what was going on or why I was where I was. My father stopped fighting for custody and disappeared. Then they started telling us that we were never going to see our mom again, but after five years, we were finally released into my mom’s custody. I was a confused kid just trying to understand life when I was introduced to the world of alcohol and drugs. I was 12 years old. I began skipping school, not coming home and fighting with my Mom and my step dad. I felt like they weren’t there for me. I was alone and no one understood me. I was smoking pot and drinking alcohol regularly to try and cope with my feelings. I made some friends and they introduced me to speed. Once I started doing speed the desire to do anything other than drugs left me completely. I was more than a hundred credits behind, so I dropped out of school. By 17, I was living on the streets full-time, unwelcome in my mom's house. Drugs became even more important than a relationship with my family. I lied, I stole and had no remorse when I looked into my moms eyes and disrespected her and her house. That’s when I had my first run-in with the cops. I got arrested and went to jail that night. Things got too hard for me so I ran away from my problems. I got on a greyhound bus and went to Tennessee to work for a traveling sales company. I met someone. His name was Greg. He was full of life and treated me well. I loved his smile and his eyes, but most of all I loved his spunky personality. We worked together, traveled together, and basically lived together. We were together for a few months when he left his job to go back home to help out his family. I got scared and came home. I started using drugs again as soon as I got back. I was living with friends or in motels, just bouncing around because that’s all I knew how to do. I found out I was pregnant and thought that if ever there was a reason to get myself together, it was this little unborn baby growing inside of me. I called a number I found in the yellow pages and got a list of all the pregnancy shelters in Orange County. There were two listings, one for Casa Teresa, and one for Hannah’s House. In my interview over the phone I told them I was homeless and pregnant, and didn’t know what to do. They said they said they weren’t an emergency shelter, but allowed me to come in for an intake anyway. I was scared when I got there, I didn’t know what I was going to do if they didn’t accept me. I had nowhere to go and no one else to turn to. So I sat in Nichole’s office, answering questions and explaining my situation. When we were done she told me that they aren’t an emergency shelter and they wouldn’t normally accept someone like me, but she was scared that if she didn’t accept me, there was no way me or my child would make it. They said I needed a few things in order to move in. I needed pregnancy verification, and Tuberculosis test. They discussed it and decided to put me up in a hotel for 3 days while I waited for the test results. On April 26th I moved into Casa Teresa. They gave me keys to a mailbox, keys to a room, and keys to the front door. They gave me a welcome basket with new towels, wash rags, socks, and a nightgown. In my room there was a fridge, a stove, a kitchen sink, full bathroom, two beds, and a couch. When you put all of those things in one place you can call it a home. That day Casa Teresa became my home. Life here at Casa Teresa has definitely been a journey for me. I have learned a lot in the 7 months I have been here. It was a rough start for me here. I had to start taking responsibility for all my legal issues. I was fighting a court case, dealing with probation, and trying to learn how to deal with everything without drugs. I went to AA and NA meetings, as well as a women’s drug and alcohol counseling group. But none of these things were teaching me what I had to learn. Unfortunately I have a tendency to learn things the hard way. My probation officer decided to violate me on an old case, and I went to jail. I was so scared. I didn’t know what was going to happen to me or my baby. I had been working on my relationship with my family, and once again I disappointed them. I had let down everyone at Casa Teresa, and felt like everything I had worked for was gone. I called Dr. Pugh and Nichole to see what they were going to do. Dr. Pugh said, “You’re one of our moms, of course we’re still here for you. I realized that everything happens for a reason, and God doesn’t give you more than you can handle. My relationship with God developed while I was in jail. I knew that God had and has a plan for me. I know there are times when I won’t understand things, but He is always there. I was sentenced to an 18-month intensive out-patient program called drug court. Casa Teresa fought to have me released back into their custody. They fought for me. They have been by my side the whole time. They have helped me see how much I have grown and how much potential I have. After I have my baby girl, my plan is to go back to school, get a job, and apply for transition. They are proud of me for making the changes in my life that need to be made. They support me and my decisions. They are there for me. I am learning that life is serious and life is precious. I am now responsible, accountable, reliable, and dependable. I am grateful for everyone involved in this program. I’m grateful for a second chance to prove that I can be a good person and a good mom. I want to thank everyone, from the people who donate baby and maternity clothes, to the people who donate time and money to this program. I want to thank all of you for coming here today to show your support for Casa Teresa. It is because of all of you that my daughter and I have a fighting chance.
Let us know how you're doing:Call (714)538-4860 or email info@casateresa.com. Last Updated: April 19, 2009 |
