Straight From a Mother's Heart

My husband, Frank, and I had three children and felt fortunate they were pretty good kids.

Our youngest, Frankie, was a beautiful young girl who brought us much joy in her early years. She was always very friendly, but we became increasingly concerned when she began hanging around with the wrong crowd in her early teens. Her father and I were unaware she had started using drugs.

Finally, when Frankie started sneaking out of our home at night, we even moved from San Leandro to San Diego, hoping to change her environment.

At first we were delighted as Frankie quickly made new friends and even became a Homecoming Princess in her school. We were confused though as her grades remained very bad. Soon we discovered she was in a even worse state than before.

She began staying out all night then for full weekends. She only seemed to return to our home when she was fleeing some enemy. This made us realize our dear daughter was now involved in gangs.

The situation grew increasingly worse. Frankie began to lose weight, looking as though she were about to have a stroke. She stuttered when she talked and her eyes constantly twitched. When we were out in public, she would become extremely paranoid thinking everyone was wanting to harm her.

All of these changes took place quickly. My husband and I were devastated by what she had become. We knew our little girl needed help, but we didn't know what to do.

I never gave up hope Frankie would one day change. My mother also never gave up on Frankie. She prayed all the time for her and often would say only Jesus Christ could help her.

My husband gave Frankie an ultimatum to get her "act together or get out" when we discovered she had taken his gun. We were frightened. Although I was angry with my husband for this action, I knew deep down Frankie would never change if I kept helping her out of trouble. She had to experience the results and consequences of her actions. It was the only way she would learn.

One month before Frankie's 18th birthday, I began to call different programs that help people with drug problems. What I thought was by chance at the time, I happened to call Teen Challenge. A wonderful person named Ramona answered and talked with me. She described Teen Challenge and we both agreed Frankie needed to get into the program as soon as possible. I was so excited. I knew this was the answer to all my prayers.

I told Frankie about Teen Challenge. The staff at San Diego Teen Challenge lovingly encouraged her and helped us both at weekly meetings as we waited for an opening at the Teen Challenge women's home in Bakersfield. Eventually, Teen Challenge had room and Frankie entered the program.

After Frankie had been in the Teen Challenge program for one month, my husband and I visited her in Bakersfield. It was one of the most emotional meetings we had ever had. Teen Challenge had introduced her to the only person who could change her life: Jesus Christ. He had healed her hurts, given her new reasons for living, and had rebuilt her shattered self-esteem. Her desire for drugs and her old lifestyle were gone. We had a brand new daughter!

Her father could hardly speak and cried uncontrollably. It was the first time I had ever seen my husband cry. In fact, we all cried that day. In just that one short month, the Lord had renewed our daughter from head to toe!

After staying one year in the Teen Challenge discipleship program, Frankie remained at Ventura Teen Challenge working as an intern (staff in training). She then attended the Teen Challenge Ministry Institute for another year to prepare herself to help others. Eventually, she worked in the Teen Challenge women's home in Yuma.

Through it all, God brought us closer to Him and closer to each other. We are so thankful Teen Challenge that gave us a second chance at being a family once again.