August 29, 2024

For as long as Marisa could remember, her parents ignored her. They were both so young when she was born that they didn’t really know how to be parents. When her mom wasn’t working one of her three jobs, she often found other reasons to be out of the house. And Marisa barely saw her dad at all.

When Marisa was young, she tried very hard to get her mom’s attention. Sometimes she would act up in the hopes of her mom paying attention to her. But as the years passed, it became obvious that her mother viewed her as more of a burden than anything else.

All her life, Marisa only wanted the unconditional love she saw other kids receive from their parents. By the time she started high school, it seemed clear to her that this love would never come from her mom. So the natural thing to do seemed to be to look for it elsewhere. She thought she found it in her boyfriend.

Her boyfriend was much too old for her. He had dropped out of high school and was involved with a rough crowd. He was also far too controlling of Marisa, but she had no idea what a healthy relationship should look like. She just thought it was normal.

Marisa’s boyfriend constantly pressured her to skip school. While Marisa had never been a straight-A student, she enjoyed school and got decent grades. But she had no idea how to resist the pressure her boyfriend put on her to skip class and spend time with him. Soon she was missing days or weeks at a time.

Marisa found herself getting more and more involved with her boyfriend’s friends, even though she knew they were the wrong crowd to fall into. While she refused to do drugs with them, her boyfriend and all his friends frequently abused drugs. Marisa was exposed to drug use nearly every day.

Even though Marisa was beginning to become uncomfortable with the turn her life was taking, she saw no other option. Her boyfriend frequently reminded her that he was the only one who loved her, and she worried he was right.

Eventually, Marisa’s boyfriend got in trouble with the police for his drug use. Because Marisa was with him at the time, the police questioned her too. Desperate not to get into trouble too, she explained her situation. The police officer told her about Mercy Home—a place where she would be loved and cared for.

Marisa was intrigued with the idea. After visiting the Home and meeting with some of our coworkers, she knew that it was the best place for her.

When Marisa first moved in, she was unwilling to open up. She didn’t want to share details about her mother’s neglect, her boyfriend’s abuse, or how far behind she had fallen in school. She mostly remained quiet, watching the other girls from a distance.

No matter how reluctant Marisa was to open up, my coworkers never stopped letting her know that they cared about her. Eventually, she realized that she was in a safe place, and she was loved and cared for here.

Once Marisa made the realization that she was, for the first time, part of a real family, she began to truly settle in at Mercy Home. She began to join in conversations with the other girls during meals and sharing details of her day with staff members.

Marisa also enrolled in a new high school, where she could get a fresh start. With time to focus on her studies and tutors to help her catch up, her grades have been rising steadily.

Before coming to Mercy Home, Marisa never even thought about her future. But now, she knows that she has a bright one to look forward to, thanks to your love, prayers, and support.

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