STORIES from The Mission of Yahweh
Lily's Story
HOPE HAS A VOICE
We are involved in a variety of programs and initiatives that promote suImagine … one *Autistic child, frustrated and only speaking in single words to express his needs and a single mom, 9 months pregnant with her second child and living with a man who was making her question the safety of her children. Lily is the mom in this story, and she was seeking peace, and a voice for her son.
In the summer of 2021, Lily came to live at The Mission, hoping to find a safer environment for herself and the children. At the time she arrived, she had 3 year old Carter and a newborn son, Owen.
Carter, a beautiful but troubled little boy with Autism would barely speak, and when he did it was frustrating for him as he tried to communicate his wants and needs. He frequently would run, and then had tantrums because of his inability to communicate to the adults and other children. Lily, however being hopeful, reached out to the case management team here at The Mission and asked for resources on how to help Carter find his voice.
As Lily continued her struggle to help Carter, she was working on improving her own mental and spiritual self through our programs. She set goals, and finished classes on financial management and job readiness training, and received spiritual instruction from our Pastor. Before coming to the Mission, Lily had rededicated her life to Christ, and she felt God led her here for a reason. Lily has told us “I feel a part of the community here. I’ve made friends and received blessing after blessing from volunteers, supporters, other residents and the staff. I have learned patience, integrity, independence and self-confidence/self-love”.
“WE ARE A TRIBE – and we all love each other here … The Mission of Yahweh has helped me grow and become the person I need to be for my family.”
Lily’s future is looking brighter as she recently obtained a new job. Carter is in school (after much coaxing to get on the bus), and is now speaking full sentences and communicating at his age level. Owen will celebrate his 2nd birthday and shortly the family will be looking for housing. Hope for this family was found here and now Carter has hope because He has found his voice!
Thank you for supporting The Mission of Yahweh. The Impact of your gift helps us continue to offer programs that meet the special needs of women and children everyday! stainability and environmental protection. From education and outreach to research and advocacy, we are making a difference in communities around the world.
*Autism affects 1 in 54 children in the United States and is more prevalent among boys than among girls (as reported by the CDC in 2020). Our Children’s Program in 2022 felt the effects of this as 80% of the children who came here were on the spectrum and their special needs require special attention as we reach out to serve them.
Ruth's Story
Ruth never imagined that after a decade of marriage, her husband would suddenly decide to move to Mexico and seek a divorce. They had spent ten years raising their four lovely daughters, and everything seemed to be going smoothly until her life took an unexpected turn.
Her husband sold their home without her knowledge and disappeared with the children's important documents, leaving her with the fear that he might try to take them away. Terrified and unsure of how to provide for her family, Ruth found herself seeking refuge in a shelter in Brazoria. A friend, aware of her situation and origin from Houston, suggested she reach out to the Mission of Yahweh.
Arriving at the Mission with her four children in tow, Ruth was apprehensive about what the future held, especially in February 2023. However, she was pleasantly surprised to find a warm and supportive community that immediately put her at ease.
The children quickly adapted to their new environment, finding companionship and joy among their peers. They eagerly participated in the IWrite summer camp, discovering the joy of storytelling and even contributing to a collective book project. Their enthusiasm was further rewarded when they were invited to a Gala event to celebrate their achievements, experiencing the excitement of a book signing and sharing their journey with others. Since then, they have eagerly looked forward to another summer camp and have continued to explore their passion for writing.
Meanwhile, Ruth has secured full-time employment nearby and has applied for housing, choosing to delay the move until the end of the school year to minimize disruption for her children. With financial stability, access to healthcare benefits, and a hopeful outlook, she eagerly anticipates relocating to Southwest Houston.
Reflecting on her time at the Mission of Yahweh, Ruth echoes the sentiments of many others, telling us “The Mission is a place of healing and clarity, where supportive hands are always extended. Through the Firm Foundation class led by a dedicated volunteer and pastor, I found solace and a deeper connection to my faith. Upon further reflection, it has become apparent, that although I did not plan my life to take a turn such as this, maybe God had intended for me to have this experience in order to grow and now seek His will for her life and the life of my children in the future.”
Sara R
GOD SPEAKS IN DREAMS
Feeling lost and alone in a new country, with no idea how to navigate the legal system in the United States, Sara R. found herself feeling hopeless. Sara’s fiancé took her from Bahrain to San Diego, then married her and had hoped to help her navigate through the legal system to become a U.S. Citizen, but there were difficulties. He was in the U.S. Navy and soon after arriving home, he was getting redeployed overseas. Initially, Sara was set to travel with him on his deployment.
However, before his departure, Sara had wanted him to reconnect with his family in Texas. Eventually this meeting took place, but the outcome was not as Sara had hoped. The family wanted nothing to do with Sara’s situation and pushed her finance to start divorce proceedings. Ultimately, he dropped her off at a hotel before departing the country, leaving her to fend for herself.
It was there she cried out to God, and He responded to her in a dream. Like many of us, she tried using her own knowledge to navigate the system to find housing and get help, but she had many obstacles keeping her from moving forward. She ended up in a shelter that was very good to her, but she was only able to stay for 4 months.
During that time, God had repeatedly sent her a dream about The Mission of Yahweh. Her own fear kept her from making yet another change until she
was forced to do so.
Upon arriving in August of 2022, she had an appointment with our intake department. She said, “From the minute I walked in, I knew I was in the right place. I felt horrible for fighting God’s will for me.” From her first meeting with our Intake staff, she felt peace and Sara told us, “A shelter is never the ‘ideal’ situation for anyone; but for me, at that time, it was perfect for what I needed. God knew.“
Her case manager assisted her through the obstacles of retaining her work Visa and starting on the path toward citizenship. She found a job and went back to school. The Mission has helped her work toward her G.E.D. and taking (ESL) classes to improve her grasp of the English Language. With a song in her heart, and a smile on her face, Sara is dreaming of having her own business as a beauty product importer. She has skills in this area and is hopeful she can achieve this dream.
One new skill she has developed since being here is to mentor others who have lost everything. It is important to her to be an example of keeping hope and faith in God alive. She says “Don’t listen to others. Trust your heart, and when you come to a shelter try to rest, forgive yourself and get involved. If you have hope, you have everything you need to regroup and move forward. “
Ms. Linda's Story
Former Resident Ms. Burge
In our worst of situations, waiting for God to move and praying everything will work out can shake even the most devoted of Christians. Imagine finding your ‘ home sweet home’ in the backseat of a car after tense family relationships forced you out of what you called home. Now traveling state-to-state to find a place where you could stay, regroup and maybe just catch a break, your future seems hopeless. This is what happened to Linda in the Spring of 2021.
Many nights Ms. Linda slept in an inexpensive hotel or in her car. She told us about the angels God sent her way, by putting people in her path that gave her help and kept her fed. One Saturday night, her last weekend on the streets, she made several calls, desperate to find a shelter in Houston. Leaving voicemails everywhere and not getting called back right away, she realized she was alone and asked herself “does anyone really care?” Linda prayed that someone would respond.
The following Monday morning, the only shelter to return her call was The Mission of Yahweh. Linda told us upon arriving she knew God was here. She was greeted with kindness and comforted. She said she knew this is where she was supposed to be. The weight was lifted, and later she realized that God’s plan wasn’t just to help her regroup, but to heal her from the inside out.
Linda grew up in church, but she never learned about having a relationship with God. Our Pastor, Pastor Scott urged her to attend the Firm Foundation Class, where every student learns not only what the Bible says, but what God says about who He is, why we are here, and how to apply God’s word to everyday life and have a fruitful and fulfilling life with God. She said “This class changed my life, as did the encouragement and comfort that came from the staff, volunteers, the pastors and bible study teachers! “ I know God led me here for this purpose! “
Now, Ms. Linda is a voice for Jesus. This weekend, she packed up her things and moved to her own place in Mississippi. She is praying God will help heal the relationship with her family and reunite them. In the meantime, she’s praying God will use her to tell others how God reached out to help her and taught her how to have a relationship with Him.
BECAUSE YOU CARE - JESSICA CELEBRATES NEW HOME
July of 2018 Jessica and her 5 children came to The Mission seeking shelter. Jessica had only recently regained custody of her children. She has 3 boys, and 2 girls and all are in school except the most recently born (less than 1 year old) baby.
Jessica grew up in a shelter for part of her life in Queen’s NY. Her mother was a single mom that was struggling financially after moving her family to America from Nairobi. Jessica admitted, as a young girl, she had made poor decisions with relationships, and had become involved with a man that was not a good influence for her children. However, living without his support, was impossible. She knew, in order to survive, she would have to leave everything behind, including the children’s father and she would have to start over.
Because of her financial restraints, Jessica told us she had not celebrated Christmas for her children in over 9 years. After 5 months at The Mission, Christmas came, and we were able to show her and her children a “Christmas to Remember”, thanks to our “Christmas on a Mission” event on Christmas Day. Jessica said this is the first time her children had actually ‘seen’ Christmas. They were overwhelmed with the snow, and Santa Clause and all of the excitement. It was such a special day for them, they wanted to share with their cousins that came to visit them. What a blessing it was to see each child give away two new toys they had gotten for Christmas to their cousins.
Jessica has experienced counseling, parent classes, financial management and more with her case manager in just a little under 7 months. She’s a quick learner and she’s eager to make changes in her life. “Coming to the Mission was the best thing that ever happened to me.” – I’ve not only been able to get back in school, but now I am working toward getting my LVN … and I am moving into my apartment in February of this year! – I’m so excited. I feel much better prepared and ready to launch a new life for me and my kids. “
Jessica has now moved to her new apartment with all 5 children. She’s working part-time at Texas Medical Center while she’s in school and expected to be promoted soon.
For each one of our residents, your gift helps us make these things happen. Without you, we could not have helped Jessica and her family get to a better place.
"...TREMENDOUS BLESSING TO MY LIFE."
Ashley Oti is a full time student at Texas Southern University and currently studying Pharmacology, in pursuit of becoming a Pharmacist. She has been resident at the Mission of Yahweh a little over a year now.
According to Oti “the program has been a tremendous blessing to my life." The Mission of Yahweh took me in at a very vulnerable time of my life and provided stability, support, encouragement, and hope of a better tomorrow. My case worker, Bri Foxx, sat me down when I first got here and asked me about the goals I wished to accomplish while staying at the Mission of Yahweh and I gave her a few. I wanted a car to be able to get around more conveniently, to get back into school, and when I feel ready move into my own place. So far I’ve accomplished 2 out of 3 of those goals.
"Ms. Bri and the Mission of Yahweh constantly tries to find ways to help me out on my journey of becoming a better me. She recently told me about an opportunity to be able receive assistance with paying for school & when I found out that I actually would be receiving the help I couldn't stop the tears! I really appreciate the assistance with covering my tuition, it feels like a burden has been lifted off of my shoulders at least for a semester, this act of kindness will not go in vain for I will make you all very proud!”
The Mission of Yahweh is proud to serve you Ashley and we are proud of you!
HOW SARAH'S GARDEN GROWS
SARAH IS THE FOUNDER OF SARAH'S ORGANIC GARDEN AT THE MISSION
1. How did you learn about The Mission of Yahweh?
My family has been involved with the mission for several years, but my sister, Monica Hartland Blaisdell, is who introduced us all to The Mission.
2. How long have you been involved with The Mission?
I have been involved since 2010 and started the vegetable garden in the Spring of 2012.
3. What led you to start an organic vegetable garden?
I was talking with Monica about what donations The Mission needed. She responded that they get plenty of nonperishable food donations but they have trouble getting good, fresh vegetables. We wanted to find a way not only to provide organic veggies and herbs but also promote a healthy lifestyle and environment. Hence, the vegetable garden was born!
4. What is the size of the garden?
The garden is about 850 square feet of vegetable growth. We also have eight large planters where we grow various herbs and spices.
5. Where did you learn how to garden?
I started learning by taking some basic garden classes with Urban Harvest. Also, I attended the monthly meeting held by Houston Urban Gardeners. Both great organizations!
I often stop by Wabash Feed Store and ask the expert gardeners there for advice or ask for a solution to whatever garden dilemma I am having. They are always so nice and super helpful!
The Houston Garden Book by Bob Randall is an in depth book about gardening specific to Houston. I found that helpful as well.
6. Where is your go to place for supplies and advice?
Without a doubt it’s Wabash Feed Store for both supplies and advice.
7. What are you planting for this spring/summer season?
We planted cucumbers, green beans, zucchini, squash, spinach, tomatoes, jalapeños, basil, mint, and rosemary. Yum!
8. What is your personal favorite summer vegetable/herb?
I really like cucumbers, tomatoes and basil. They are light and refreshing, perfect for those hot, Houston summers.
9. How does it make you feel watching the garden grow and produce more each year?
I honestly am so amazed that so much food can come from one tiny little seed. I feel blessed that I get to witness this amazing miracle every time I visit the garden.
10. What has been the reaction from the residents and the children?
Initially, the majority of the women and children were not especially knowledgeable about vegetable gardens, so it took a little while for them to open up to this unfamiliar concept. But now everybody is excited and enthusiastic about learning and helping out with it! It’s especially wonderful to watch the children’s initial curiosity about the plants, and then watch how their faces light up as they see the progress of the seeds growing into plants and then the plants producing vegetables.
11. What do the residents and children enjoy the most about the garden vegetables?
EATING THEM!
FORGIVENESS IS FREEDOM. . . LINDA B'S STORY
They say that when you’re at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on. Linda B. was at the end of her rope, but her rope wasn’t strong enough to even tie a knot. It was all she could do to keep hanging on. That’s when she found The Mission.
Her story didn’t start the day before she arrived, it actually began as a child, when abandoned by her parents, she and her 4 siblings were sent to live with her Aunt and Uncle, and their large household of 7. Her new caretakers were very loving and taught her about Jesus, but with so many mouths to feed and poverty being a way of life for them, every day was a struggle to survive.
Being poor is not a curse when you’re loved but Linda’s story was about to take a turn for the worst when an outside family member came to visit and decided to prey upon her. At 9 years old she was brutally raped and beaten. Although the rapist was caught and put in prison, nothing was really done to help her through the trauma. This experience as you may have guessed, left her with emotional scars she could not cope with. She lived with this horror as it continued to chip away at her self-esteem and confidence in God.
As she came to get settled in her new environment at The Mission, she began to have hope. She felt loved, comforted and encouraged. Each day, she started to dream again. Her dream was to start a career in healthcare. She learned about the scholarship program offered at The Mission and jumped at the chance to go to school and get a job in a hospital.
Now, 4 months later, she landed her dream position as a Certified Nurses Aid at Methodist Hospital.
Realizing how blessed she’s been since coming to stay at The Mission, she wanted us to tell you her story, because she wants to give God the glory for all He has done for her. Linda said the most important part of what God has done for her in her life, is to show her that He always has a plan. She feels she was meant to be here, to grow here and to learn to forgive the man that injured her so long ago.
Mission Kids
Mission Kids published a book this summer !
This past summer 2023 our children participated in a creative writing expression camp hosted by iWRITE. iWRITE is a nonprofit literacy organization that helps kids write their success story.
In partnership with The Mission of Yahweh, iWRITE offered hands-on literary activities to bolster self-reflection and creativity. As we all know, when students are engaged in self-discovery and encouraged to explore their interests, cognitive development is nurtured.
Our Campers in grades 1st-9th had opportunity to explore their creativity through the lens of writing and illustration with iWRITE's Education Manager, Sheri Jacobs and iWRITE's illustrator, Ryan Shaw. This two-week camp took place from July 31 to August 10, 2023. It was sponsored by Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation and Houston PiBetaPhi Alumnae Club and held at MOY Learning Center.
The camp culminated a published book filled with 14 of our campers' work of a collection of poems and drawings from the children in our care. 2 of our campers are winners of the publishing contest and will be attending the iWRITE Gala and Book Signing Event at the Marriott Marquis on November 11, 2023!
The Mission of Yahweh does not receive any proceeds on the sale of this book..
Click on the image of the book if you would like to purchase!
Covid's impact
Click below to read about Debra's story and how through prayer, God healed, saved and restored her and her family.
Mission Founder, Sister Helen Gay
A message of Hope
Helen Gay lived in a neighborhood filled with broken families, hungry children and poverty was abound.
It was her vision from God that started her on a mission to feed the hungry, and house those who needed a place to lay their head.
In 1961 she quit her job as a hair dresser and answered God's calling. She started feeding the children in the neighborhood, then started taking them in to stay and before you know it, she had even adopted 24 of those children.
Churches reached out to help her and in 1971 a board of directors was formed and by 1972 a corporate charter granted by the State of Texas.
What started with one little shot gun house in a run down neighborhood, now has become a 12 building campus, that not only houses over 400 women each year, serves over 4000 meals per month - but also feeds over 500 families in the community twice a year as well.
Sister Gay passed away in 2008, however her legacy lives on. The Mission can now house over 120 women and children and we hope to have another dormitory added in the near future.
