Home was a tricky concept for Kaylee.  

A lot of times, it felt like it didn’t really exist. Kaylee’s mom had always struggled with abusing drugs and alcohol. When Kaylee was a small child, her mother would leave her for days at a time with friends or relatives. She was never sure if her mom would come back. With her father out of the picture, there wasn’t anybody to take care of Kaylee. 

When Kaylee was 14, her mother got into trouble with the law because of her drug use. While she worked to end her addiction to drugs and alcohol, Kaylee stayed with several relatives. After her mother finished her rehabilitation program, Kaylee was able to live with her again. 

At first, things seemed much better. Her mother was sober, able to hold a job, and aid more attention to Kaylee. Things finally felt stable—Kaylee wasn’t staying at different places each week. She was able to start building a relationship with her mom. 

Then, her mother got a new boyfriend. At first, he seemed nice, and Kaylee liked him a lot. But when he moved in with the family, Kaylee quickly discovered he was not what he seemed. He would scream at and belittle Kaylee and her mother for no reason. Soon, he was hitting both of them. Kaylee dreaded going home and wandered the streets after school. Her mother seemed to be in denial about the abuse, and refused to do anything about it. 

Finally, Kaylee couldn’t take it any longer. She contacted the authorities to share what was going on. Her mother was so angry with her for reporting the abuse that she threw Kaylee out of the house. Kaylee moved in with her grandmother, who she had stayed with in the past.  

While life at her grandmother’s home was better, Kaylee was depressed. She had never done that well in school, but now her grades plummeted. She didn’t want to leave the house, and didn’t have any friends at school. Her grandmother wasn’t able to give her all the support and help she needed, so she contacted Mercy Home. 

Kaylee was detached when she first arrived at Mercy Home. She assumed it would be like any other place she had stayed at before—temporary. She didn’t see the point of getting to know any of the coworkers or the other girls. She fought against the rules. 

But after a little while, Kaylee began to notice something. Our coworkers always assured her that she could stay as long as she needed. Everyone was kind to her, ands he never felt unsafe. She realized that Mercy Home could truly become her home.  

Once this became clear to Kaylee, we immediately saw positive changes. She began joining in on activities with the other girls. She was more comfortable opening up about her experiences. Her grades improved. Most importantly, Kaylee began to smile more often.  

Thanks to your prayers and support, we are able to provide kids like Kaylee with a safe place for them to heal from past hurts. Your kindness truly gives these kids what they long for—a place to call home 

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