Melanie’s Story
“My prayers have been turned into hope and action.”
“The way I was raised, I just kind of pushed everything down. I never felt able to stand up for myself.”
Growing up, Melanie struggled with feeling stifled and silenced. “The way I was raised, I just kind of pushed everything down. I never felt able to stand up for myself.”
As an adult, that silence led to pain. “I coped by using alcohol,” Melanie says. Eventually, she spiraled downward to rock bottom. “I got a DUI, and then I went into treatment.” Desperate for a next step and some kind of hope, she came to Union Gospel Mission of Salem.
When Melanie arrived here, she was greeted with warmth. “They made me feel welcome, and they asked if I was hungry for a hot meal, even before I’d finished the paperwork.”
Classes at UGM became a place of healing and growth. “It’s all women here, from totally different backgrounds, but somehow we all have shared issues.” In addition to community, she found a freedom to speak that she had never known. “Everyone is welcome to say how they feel.”
“Everything has happened for a reason, and it led me here.”
Melanie’s faith before the Mission was very low. “I didn’t have a lot of hope,” she admits. “I felt like something had to give.” Since being here, she has experienced God’s healing. “The most valuable thing I’ve learned is the importance of mental health.”
Cherishing her place in the community here, Melanie serves by helping in the kitchen and doing laundry. “I like to give back in whatever way I can.”
Looking toward her future, Melanie has a newfound sense of who she is and what she wants. “There’s more to me than I knew – they helped show me my potential. I’m taking care of my obligations, working, and building a life where I can support myself and be free to venture.”
This Easter, Melanie has a new direction for her life. Thank you for lighting the path forward for her to experience a future of hope and peace! “Since coming to the Mission, I see a light at the end of the tunnel; my prayers have been turned into hope and action.”