Emily – 2017 Graduate

When I was younger, I was sexually abused by a close family member. Due to this trauma, I began to detach myself emotionally and started using hurtful coping mechanisms to deal with the pain.

I heard about Mercy through my church. I felt like there was hope at Mercy. My turning point at Mercy was when I began to fully understand and utilize the tools they were teaching, rather than reverting to my harmful ways of coping with situations.

Through my time at Mercy, God has shown me that I am worth loving and that my mistakes do not define me. He has taught me that there is freedom in brokenness and that I don’t have to cope anymore. I can live in the newness of who God made me.

In the future, I plan to go to college and work a full-time job. I’ve also considered working in the medical field doing mission work.

To everyone that supports Mercy, thank you for making this opportunity possible. I am thankful for the chance to get away from the struggles in the real world, free of charge, and know that I do not have to face them alone.