Profile: Alberta
I am Alberta, and I am a grateful recovering addict. I started using at the age of 15. My whole family (12 brothers and sister) suffers from the disease of addiction. I used in order to live, and lived in order to use. When I finally turned to Seeds of Hope for help, I was completely broken – in every way a person can be broken.
I met with Bev, a staff member, and we talked and cried for hours. At the end of our meeting, Bev told me that I was a candidate for the program; however, there were no rooms available at that time. I would have to be placed on a waiting list. She was as upset as I was not to be able to ask me to stay, but promised to get me in the program as soon as humanly possible.
I got back on the bus and went home – back to my old neighborhood, full of other addicts. I was almost numb. I had finally reached my bottom, and I had finally sought help, only to be told there was no room for me. I remember climbing into the bathtub, trying to hide from all the temptations right outside the door. I really wanted to get and stay clean; yet I was in a vulnerable situation, literally surrounded by other addicts more than happy to make me feel better.
After about 2 hours, I couldn’t take it anymore. I called Bev back and told her she just had to get me into Seeds of Hope. I didn’t care what it took, I needed help right now. I knew that, without help, I would either go back to using, or kill myself. Bev called me back about 20 minutes later and told me to come to Seeds of Hope at 8:00am the next morning. She and the staff would figure out somewhere that I could stay (even if it were on a couch for a few weeks).
I will forever be grateful to the staff and Fr. Glenn for literally savings my life. I am so grateful that they didn’t just disregard me. Seeds of Hope gave me my foundation. I am now employed, have my own apartment, and have been clean for almost a year. I am also so thankful to God for making the building expansion possible, so that more women can be helped as soon as they need it – and fewer women will be told they have to wait.
-Alberta
