July 30, 2024

Many of the young people at Mercy Home come to us from homes where they received little support or guidance. It may be difficult to believe, but there are many parents who are not very interested or involved in the lives of their children. This was the case with one of our young women, Isabelle.

Isabelle was used to taking care of herself. Her mother was in high school when Isabelle was born, and showed little interest in being a mom. When she wasn’t working, she was often out with friends or men she was dating. Isabelle felt like she was, at most, an inconvenience to her mom.

As a result, Isabelle knew she could never really depend on her mother. She learned at a very early age how to do everything from making meals for herself to doing the laundry to transporting herself to school. Her mom never helped her with her homework, took her to fun places like the park or the movies, or tucked her into bed at night.

When Isabelle began high school, she was almost totally self-sufficient. She had begun to take care of most things around the house, including paying bills and grocery shopping. Isabelle’s mother’s lack of involvement and immaturity had been something Isabelle dealt with since she was a young girl, she never considered things could be any other way.

Despite the many responsibilities Isabelle had on her shoulders, she still excelled in school and was well-liked among her peers. Sometimes she felt overwhelmed by taking care of the household, or sad about her mother’s lack of interest in her life, but she tried not to let it get her down.

Things probably would have gone on like this until Isabelle graduated high school, but everything changed when her mother’s boyfriend moved into their apartment. He and her mother fought constantly, and sometimes the fights got physical. When her mother’s boyfriend began acting inappropriately toward Isabelle, Isabelle decided she had enough of living under her mother’s roof.

She began researching other options on the internet. When she came across Mercy Home’s website, she was immediately intrigued. After reaching out to our admissions department and touring our Home, Isabelle knew that Mercy Home was the best place for her. She moved in shortly after.

Living at Mercy Home was a big adjustment for Isabelle. She wasn’t used to having someone always checking in on her and holding her to a specific schedule. And she really wasn’t used to having anybody who cared about her.

With a little time, Isabelle began to thrive at Mercy Home. She grew close to many of my coworkers and constantly expressed her surprise that they cared about her. She was also relieved that many adult burdens were lifted from her shoulders and that she no longer had to be in charge of managing a household.

In many ways, Mercy Home truly gave Isabelle her childhood back. This is why I am so grateful to loving Partners in Prayer like you—you allow us to make these tremendous changes possible in the lives of our kids. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your friendship.

Please note: Because we care deeply about protecting our children’s privacy, the names and certain identifying details in this story have been changed.