Bethanne's Story

Armed with a gun, Bethanne marched into the woods, determined to put an end to her torturous life. She had been miserable and abused for as long as she could remember. As a child she watched her mother pass away and witnessed a suicide. By age 9 she was smoking marijuana to numb the pain.

One bright light came from her father, who taught her about God and how He was always with her. She clung to that knowledge, even when she left her family behind at the age of thirteen and went out into the world on her own.

She was a child living in an adult world, surviving with help from caring families here and there. But abuse showed up all too quickly in her relationships with men. Drinking alcohol gave her some peace, but not enough. She tried to kill herself many times. And then came the day when she walked into the woods with a gun in her hand, ready to take her life.

As she walked, God spoke to her. “What if a child finds you?” He asked.

That stopped her in her tracks. There was no way she would traumatize a child by having them find her like that. She then realized she needed help urgently and immediately went to a local mission. They gave her a safe place to stay and help to become sober. But she couldn’t shake off the pain from her past.

One of her doctors suggested Hope Gospel Mission, thinking that Christian counseling would help her. And it did.

“Finding Hope Gospel Mission was the brightest day of my life!” she said with tears. “I knew God never left me, and I feel like I have come home!” Bethanne found strength and stability in the programs. “Having a Christian-based Mission allows me to have faith in the One who will never let me down!”

Reading the Bible and attending church eases Bethanne’s pain and dark thoughts. She is now looking forward to graduation and joining the choir in her much loved church. She is excited to see which direction God will lead her in life, knowing it will be to glorify Him.

Thank you for your continued support of Hope Gospel Mission. Your donations keep the doors open and help people like Bethanne begin a new life!