Wesley’s* family fully embraced the outlaw culture with gang affiliation. As he grew up, he followed in their footsteps. Wesley describes the beginning of his life’s transformation the following way: "I was doing things I didn’t want to do with people I didn’t want to be doing them with. At some point I realized the people I thought were helping me were hindering me. I was riding in a car as I had this realization, so I asked them to pull over and I got out and just started walking. I had peace about walking away, but I had nowhere to go, didn’t know what to do, just knew I didn’t want to keep doing the things I was doing. For the first time ever, I prayed. I prayed for God to open a door, and the door He opened was to a jail cell.”
The prison social worker was able to connect Wes to Victory Mission Shelter where he worked to fulfill all the requirements to be eligible for custody of his daughter. Initially, he had been repeatedly told there was no way he would ever be granted permission to be around his kids again, but the tables turned when he was given unexpected favor by a higher-up in the system who heard the incredible story of Wesley’s changed life. One major obstacle remained: housing.
Because of collaborative efforts with Elevate Lives, those at Victory Mission knew the home renovations in progress were intended for situations just like Wes’. Less than a month later, Wes’ teenage daughter was released from foster care and now is thriving with him in one of Elevate Lives’ Homes with a Purpose.
Because of the generosity of people like you, Wes is thriving in his newfound freedom and deeply grateful for the Pathway out of Poverty. He has a positive outlook, grateful for the lessons learned and personal growth from the trials he has been through.
“For the first time in my life I’m not flat broke. I’m grateful when the bills come in because I have money to pay them.” Wesley is passionate about his kids and is working on his credit score to be able to qualify to buy a home. There is no doubt that Wesley’s story of redemption and freedom is an inspiration to all!
*names have been changed
Every dollar counts, so whether you can give a little or a lot, it means something BIG to our families!
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.