“ My mom and dadwere both addicts and got separatedwhen I was a teenager. I tried to get mydad’s attention any way I could, but hedidn’t know I existed. I got in troublejust to get a rise out of him, but I gotnothing…like I wasn’t there. At 15, Imoved out and started selling and usingdrugs.”

“I can nowbe themom I wasmeant tobe !"

LIFELETTERNEW LIFEFOR YOUTH'SFebruary 2016

www.newlifeforyouth.org

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Help for men- 804-448-2750 Help for women- 804-230-4485

Founders Victorand Carmen Torres

FROM DESPERATE TO DELIVERED

“After my grandmother passed away, Ibecame an IV drug user, was addicted to pain pills and methand doing anything necessary to get those drugs. I racked upmultiple felonies before agreeing to get help at The MercyHouse.”

After graduating last month from our 12-month program, thecourt recognized the transformation in Krystal and she foundfavor with the judge. Krystal has found freedom from her pastand training for her future; and has come to know a Father whoknows every hair on her head and will never leave her norforsake her.

“After getting pregnant at 16, I got into an abusive relationship and startedusing harder drugs. Cuts, bruises and broken bones sent me to the hospital many timesuntil I finally left him.”

Devalued.

Disappearing.

Desperate.

Krystal desperateand addicted

Krystal Today,Free from drugs, freefrom her past and free

to raise her son

Through the love they find in our homes, they begin to see their ownunique calling. Their stories change right before our eyes. Each month, weshare with you the real-life accounts of tragedy turned to triumph andvictory in the lives of victims. The helpless become hopeful and we knowthat it’s your giving that allows these precious young people to find the“Happily Ever After” they were designed for.The Bible says, “Greater love has no man that this, that a man lay down hislife for his friends.” That’s what Jesus did, so that’s what we do. That’s whatYOU do when you give.

Hope Notes: Executive DirectorsCarlos &Rosalinda Rivera

Michael Griffiths wrote a book entitled“Cinderella with Amnesia.” The cover shows apicture of Cinderella sitting in filthy rags by thehearth. She is gazing at a glass slipper in herhand, and her face reveals complete confusion.She obviously has no idea what it is OR whereit came from. Although somewhere out therethe prince desperately searches for her, she hascompletely forgotten him. She has no idea whoshe is or the amazing future that could be hers.

What a tragedy; the tragedy of one who doesn’t know their value or their purpose… And it’s atragedy we see in young men and women when they first come into our program. They haveno idea that there is a Happily Ever After waiting for them and created specifically for themby the King!

“I started reading the Bible in prison, but was still looking to otherpeople to prove my worth. In New York, I turned back to the streetsand my lifestyle became outrageous. I served 4 years for running gunsand walked into prison thinking I was ‘the MAN,’ until the day I calledmy house and another man answered my phone. I’d been abandonedagain & became suicidal. But without distractions, God really began to

do a work in my life and, for the first time, I felt peace.”

Eric left prison and came to NLFY in June, 2015. “I am learning that myvalue is found in this one thing: God sent His Son to die to make me apart of His family. I am worth that much to Him. Now I’m an adopted

son once more and I know whose I am!”

Hope Ever After

“I was adopted and grew up in D.C. where I was kickedout of my house at 15 and turned to the streets. I startedselling drugs and, from a worldly perspective, I was

successful, but I didn't trust ANYONE. I thought, ‘MY OWNMOM GAVE ME UP, HOW CAN I TRUST ANYONE ELSE?’ Iwas alone.” Eric had been splintered from his birth family,then rejected by his adoptive family and he longed foracceptance; he found it on the streets in the form ofcriminal notoriety and at 25 went to prison for 3 years.

“But as many asreceived Him,to them Hegave the rightto becomechildren of

God.” –John 1:12

Eric's storyWe couldn’t love like this without you!