Living in a house of horrors
Rebecca knew what she had to do when she called the crisis hotline.
“You have to leave…NOW!” she was told. Before she could have second thoughts, the police were at her door, escorting her safely away from the home that had suddenly become a house of horrors.
“My life was in such shambles I wanted to die!”
Rebecca’s relationship with her significant other started out loving and supportive. But then he began spying on her whenever she went out. When he went berserk and threatened her with a machete — and his family did nothing to intervene — Rebecca decided she had enough.
The final straw
Stuffing a few clothes into a backpack, she grabbed a pair of flip flops — one hers and one his — and bolted out the door, where police were waiting to speed her off to an emergency shelter.
When Rebecca got to Metropolitan Ministries, she didn’t even want to talk to her counselor.
“I was in a really bad place. I was depressed, paranoid…afraid my boyfriend would find me.”
Over time, Rebecca’s fears were replaced with a renewed sense of hope. As she began to open up to her counselor, attend Bible studies and seek guidance from a licensed therapist, her life became hopeful again. Now she is pursuing two of her life-long goals: getting her MBA in non-profit management at Springfield College, and pursuing a law degree because “I’m passionate about protecting those who don’t have a voice.”
This is what’s possible when you give
Rebecca’s transformation is indicative of what’s possible when you partner with Metropolitan Ministries in this life-changing work. Won’t you give a generous gift today?
Women who experience domestic abuse need protection. They need housing. And they need the opportunity to pursue their dreams. Without these opportunities, they’ll never be able to move beyond the pain from their past.
There’s no greater gift we can give our community than giving hope to those who once felt hopeless. Thank you for joining us in what God is doing to renew the hearts and lives of women like Rebecca all across Tampa Bay.
“It means everything to me,” she says. “It’s not just the toys and what they’re getting. It’s the memories we’re creating together, as a family. I live for these kids. When they’re happy, I’m happy.”