“Before I came to the Naomi Family Program, I was bitter, judgmental, and fearful. That’s not what I wanted to be; it’s just that there was so much going on, and I didn’t know who I was.”
“Today, I am peaceful and willing to throw myself out there to love and encourage others. I love loving people. That’s who I am. That’s my thing.”
As a middle child, Janeka grew up feeling misunderstood and alone. That lingering ache, combined with a dose of “childhood defiance,” propelled her to run from family and home after high school and college.
Enormous debt made it impossible to get her own place, so she followed a friend from state to state for a few years.
Around the same time, Janeka became acquainted with a man whose interest quickly evolved into threatening her life. “My life was threatened multiple times. Then another individual hurt me deeply. Everything I imagined for my future was snatched from me. I felt isolated and alone. I had no hope.”
Janeka came to a point where she could do nothing but call on God. “I was screaming and crying because of the pain, and finally said, ‘Jesus, help me let go!’” Immediately she had a hope for her future that made her laugh. “It’s not impossible for God to turn tears of sadness into tears of joy!”
Soon after, Janeka felt led to return home and moved in with her father, someone she hardly knew. She also began reading her Bible and attending church. As she did, God began to reveal things she hadn’t realized were part of her story.
“Everything I was going through was way too much. I was working two jobs, dealing with a lot of confusion, and couldn’t sleep. I was at my wits’ end.”
Janeka was eventually admitted to a hospital psychiatric unit. When finally discharged, she learned about UGMTC’s Naomi Family Program.
“I wasn’t afraid that it was a shelter. I was excited to say yes to the Naomi program because I could learn more about Jesus and read my Bible more—my only place of comfort.”
God used His Word and the Christ-centered classes and therapy in the Naomi Family Program to replace deeply rooted fear with His love—and to assure Janeka that she is His beloved daughter. “I came to understand and trust God to lead me closer to Him. He did that and so much more.”
Now graduated from the program and newly married, Janeka serves as a housing resource navigator for others experiencing homelessness. “I’ve made my job about listening to and encouraging people. There’s something more powerful than loneliness—it’s the feeling of being unloved. So now I share the love God gave me with those I serve.”
“I have more to learn, but I’m more at peace. I am a daughter of God! It took me going to church, reading the Scriptures, and saying yes to the Naomi program to get to this place. I would say yes all over again.”