Light in the Darkness
Before she came to the Mission, Dakota struggled in the darkness of an addiction that started from an early age. She had spent time in jail and had lived for a time on the streets. She was never truly able to call anywhere home.
“It was difficult,” she recalls from her time spent in homelessness. “I felt very ashamed. I felt judged, and it was just really hard trying to find places to be where you wouldn’t get in trouble.”
Dakota longed for lasting sobriety and more meaning in her life, but she knew she couldn’t do it on her own.
“It feels like the Mission is one of those spaces where you just feel God working a lot more closely than you do in other areas. I really feel that way.” -Dakota
When her life was at its darkest, Dakota was given a glimmer of light. A friend told her about the Mission, and Dakota bravely decided to reach out to us so she could enter our recovery programs.
These days, Dakota is actively working on her sobriety, settling into a healthy routine and structure, and is surrounded by loving community invested in seeing her thrive. All she wants now is to grow closer to God so that she can share the light of His hope with others.
“Being here, it’s just a vibe,” she says. “I don’t know how to describe it. It’s just a very promising feeling, something I feel like I can really lean into and share with people who are also really serious about seeking grace.”
