“My first week here, I knew this is where I needed to be.”
For decades, mental illness wreaked havoc on Cynthia’s personal and professional life. These struggles cost her jobs, relationships, almost everything.
“Every two years, like clockwork, I would fall into a twilight zone, not knowing night from day,” she says. “I walked around like a zombie, and I felt like I was in someone’s TV.”
But the biggest crisis of all came as a total shock to Cynthia. Her husband blindsided her with divorce papers. Her support system crumbled in an instant, leaving her unsure who to trust. Cynthia’s life spiraled out of control from there. She ended up on the streets, then in jail.
While incarcerated, Cynthia finally got the mental help she urgently needed. She came to Oklahoma City and quickly found a job in a fast-food restaurant. But no matter how many hours she worked, Cynthia couldn’t keep up with the rising cost of living in our community.
She lived in her car for three months before finally reaching out to City Rescue Mission for help. “My first week here, I knew this is where I needed to be,” she shares. “I felt so welcomed, loved and safe. I felt heard and comforted. They always asked, ‘Are you OK?’ No one ever asked me that before.”
Cynthia was blessed with regular meals and a stable living environment. Therapy helped her dig to the root of deep-seated mental health issues.
“When I felt no one loved me and no one cared, God showed me how much He loved me and cared about me through everyone who works here,” Cynthia shares. Today, her heart is filled with gratitude for everyone who made her recovery possible.
“Thanks to Mission donors, I have a full-time job, a nice, furnished home, food in my fridge — and I have my life back.”
