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Angie |
Angie has almost completed her New Life journey at Champa House. Soon she will leave with her 8-year-old daughter Alexis and 1-year-old son Jacob. They will begin a life on their own with restored hope, because Angie has worked hard to improve their situation. Making the most of the New Life program’s educational resources, she earned her GED diploma and is off to a solid start in college, having already completed her first year toward becoming a veterinary technician. She thinks these accomplishments are the most important aspect of her time at Champa House. “I needed to further my education,” she says. “I see it as an important base. If you don’t have an education you can only get so far.” “I want to be able to be self-sufficient—completely independent.” Angie has come a long way from the chaotic days before her arrival in February 2003. In flight from a scene of domestic violence, she ended up living in a shelter, separated from Alexis (who was living with Angie’s mother) and pregnant with Jacob. To accept refuge in the homey comfort of Champa House was a simple choice by comparison, but she was tested by the pace and breadth of the New Life program. “Keeping up with the program was the biggest challenge,” she affirms. Then she adds, “My spiritual growth was a challenge. I found a lot of help in that area. It’s been a really cool experience. The Bible Study here has been really helpful.” “I’ve learned how to pray, and how to find God.” Champa House’s close-quarter community living was an important factor in Angie’s personal development. She concedes that building relationships was a critical skill she needed. “It was important for me to learn how to do. I was pretty much isolated—self-isolated and circumstantially isolated. This is more social and I wasn’t used to it.” The support of Champa House staff was instrumental in Angie’s push to improve herself. They offered advice that led her to a solid career path. She explains, “They really wanted me to find something that I’d like and that would be beneficial to me— something I can use in the real world.” Her interest in veterinary work arises from a lifelong passion for animals that began when she was child living in rural Montana. Now 27, she is excited about her vocational direction. “It just happens to be that I get to fulfill this childhood dream. It’s a good package deal.” “My children are my motivation.” As she busily reaches for her goals, she remains confident in the care provided to her children. Daughter Alexis has especially benefited from the safe, social environment at Champa House, and recently won a $2,500 scholarship for excellent academic performance. After New Life graduation in December 2004, Angie knows lessons learned at Champa House are valuable tools for her family’s future in society. “When I walk away form here,” she says, “the skills that I’ve learned and the people that I’ve met, I’m going to keep with me. I’m going to use that as I continue to move on.” Most valuable of all, she says, is “the spiritual connection I made with God here. It really opened up my eyes to God.” “Knowing that I can do it, having the confidence to pursue my
dreams—I think that’s something I will take with me.” *Angie's story appears in the June 2003 issue of the Chronicle. Click to donate and start "Changing Lives in the Name of Christ" |
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