Alondra – 2014 Graduate

I grew up in an unstable environment, surrounded by physical and verbal abuse. My family moved around 17 times by the time I was six. I was molested by an older boy I knew when I was young. During that time, a relative also began to sexually abuse me. When I was about nine years old, someone I was once close to died in a motorcycle accident, and I was plagued by the fear of losing loved ones from that point on. By the time I was 13, I had dozens of people I loved leave or move away. As a result, I built walls around my heart and let no one close. I developed anorexia as a way to control the chaos in my life and began to self-harm. Although I tried to gain control of my eating disorder and stop harming myself, I always ended up back on that same path.

One night I felt so hopeless that I had decided to kill myself. But first, I made one last request to the Lord. I said, “God, if you care about me at all, you better prove it right now.” Then my cell phone rang. It was 3 a.m., and no one should have been up. That call saved my life. The next day, my mom told me about Mercy.

I walked through the doors of Mercy hopeless, afraid, and utterly broken. I trusted no one and believed I was unworthy of love or even life. I didn’t believe that Mercy would actually work, but I was afraid of what would happen if I didn’t try.

While at Mercy, we watched a movie depicting the story of Christ. This film really spoke to me. As I cried watching the soldiers beat Christ, I felt I could hear Him say, “Even if you were the only person on Earth, I would have endured that just for you.” At that moment it hit me that God really does care about me. He sees me and I matter to Him. He loves me. That moment changed my life.

Thanks to my time at Mercy, I have been freed from anorexia, over-exercising and binge eating. I no longer have a distorted self-image. I know that I matter. I no longer self-harm or have any desire to. I am loved and I love others. I am not afraid of life, of my future, or of my past! I have friends now, and I am not afraid to let people in. I am so free!

After graduation, I plan to go to school to study fine arts. I hope to one day be able to share my story with other young women so that their lives can be changed. I would like to raise awareness about eating disorders, self-harm, anxiety and all forms of abuse. In addition to this, I hope to get married and maybe have children one day.

Thank you so much, donors, for everything you contribute to Mercy. Your generosity really did save my life. If it weren’t for people like you, I never would have been able to come here. May the Lord bless you!