“It started with a bad relationship last year. I thought it was healthy at first, but it moved too fast. It was very controlling, very oppressive.”

It was a new, exciting relationship, and Monique was looking forward to the future. But as little disagreements grew into hostility, she felt suffocated, frightened and unable to grow. “I felt isolated from my family and friends, feeling depressed,” she remembers.

Time went by, and Monique became more and more afraid for her well-being — but she also feared leaving. As a middle-school teacher, she knew it’d be tough to support herself during the summer months when she wasn’t working. She tried staying with friends, but found that moving from place to place every few days wasn’t sustainable. She needed more stability.

And that’s when she finally turned to Joy House, our shelter for women and children, where everything changed.

Here, Monique found not just life-saving refuge — but structure, critical resources and loving care. “At Joy House, I found safety and people who care about me, who could help me get back on track. They poured so much love into me. And not only did I get love, I got food that was really good,” she laughs. “The place just gives.”

With the new school year on the horizon, Monique hadn’t planned to stay long. But as she reconnected with her faith, she realized she wanted to stick around and learn more. She teaches math by day, but every evening Monique becomes a student of faith as she continues on her journey of transformation.

“They’re teaching me the Word of God and showing me how to apply it to my life,” she explains. “They’re helping me get closer to God, and showing me how to care for others. There are so many hurt people in the world, and I want to tell them they’re loved.”

Monique is grateful for her fresh start — and your support. “I’m so thankful that the donors are making this possible, helping change people’s lives and giving people hope!”