Hannah – 2015 Graduate

As a child, I had to rely on myself a lot. My mom constantly moved towns and states, so I became detached from many people and learned to keep my distance. I had trouble making friends and coped with my loneliness through drugs, alcohol, cutting, sex, restricting my food, binging and purging. At a certain point, I tried taking my life. I was in an outpatient facility for about a month and then returned home. Three days later, I attempted suicide again. After taking a bunch of pills, I passed out and can’t remember what happened. I was told by my mom that her friend found me lying on my bed. They rushed me to the hospital. I was in the ICU, and they didn’t think I was going to make it. They told my mom I had a 10% chance of living, and even if I did, I would have brain damage for the rest of my life. My mom brought in so many members from our church to pray over me. A few days later, I started responding. I was alive, by God’s grace, and had no brain damage! I was transferred to a children’s hospital psychiatric unit. From there, I went from facility to facility being told the same thing: “We can give you some meds, but you’re going to be bipolar and have depression for the rest of your life. You’ll have to learn how to cope with it.” I felt hopeless. I ended up in a ‘Christian’ boarding school that made me believe God hated me because of my sins and I deserved to be punished. I turned back to cutting and at one point had to get 82 stitches in my leg. I didn’t know if I wanted to live anymore.

I found out about Mercy through one of my mom’s friends who knew a graduate of the program. I decided to apply because I realized it was my last hope at life. When I arrived at Mercy, I was angry, depressed and skeptical. My relationship with God was rocky.

One major turning point for me was when a guest speaker came to the home. What she said made me cry, and I knew God was speaking to me. I knew then that He had amazing plans for me and that I was alive for a specific purpose.

While at Mercy, God has closed the doors to all the unsafe relationships of my past and opened the doors to new ones. He has made me into a happier person. I can honestly say that I no longer have any suicidal thoughts, which is incredible for me because I used to not be able to make it through a day without one.

After graduation, I plan on getting my GED since I’ve missed a lot of high school due to time spent in facilities. I want to become a nurse and help others. I’ve always been really compassionate and care a lot about people, so I think it would be a good job for me.

I wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for Nancy’s obedience to God, the staff, and donors like you. The amount of transformation that happens in the Mercy homes is incredible. Every day, I watch my Mercy sisters change and develop into new creations. Every dollar donated here makes a difference. You’re not just sowing a seed into one girl’s life because each girl leaves wanting to multiply Mercy and spread what she has learned to others.