“It's definitely great to be a person full of joy now rather than a person that's going through darkness.”
Jenice was just 25 years old when she found herself carrying more burdens than she could handle.
After graduating from high school in New York, her mom moved to Pittsburgh. Jenice found herself lost on what to do next.
“I stayed back in New York with my best friend for a couple of months but eventually moved to Pittsburgh with my mom because I felt like she was alone,” recalled Jenice.
Jenice got a job working in a hospital right as the pandemic hit in 2020. That’s when she got pregnant with her daughter, and the burdens really began to pile up.
“It was difficult because I lived far from work, and traveling was exhausting,” said Jenice. “Once I had my daughter, I started dealing with postpartum depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety.”
Jenice found herself in constant arguments with her daughter’s father, only making things worse. Eventually, she reached a limit with the verbal and physical abuse.
“It was taking a toll on me,” admitted Jenice. “I had to get a restraining order, and I didn’t want to be in Pittsburgh anymore.”
With the help of her mom, Jenice connected with a family friend in Atlanta who offered her a place to stay. So Jenice left Pittsburgh with her daughter for a new start in Georgia.
Stress Settling In
But starting fresh in Atlanta didn’t go as planned.
“I couldn’t find consistent work that would let me pick up my daughter from daycare,” said Jenice. “It was very stressful, and people started telling me I would need to find a shelter to get better help.”
Jenice began calling every shelter in Atlanta until she came across City of Refuge.
“I was getting so discouraged. But then I remember seeing how City of Refuge had City Kids where they could watch my daughter, and I wouldn't have to worry about her when I went to work.”
Change for the Better
In October of 2022, Jenice and her daughter Mireya moved into Eden Village. When we asked her about her initial impressions, she recalls everyone being welcoming.
“Everybody was putting God first,” said Jenice. “I immediately felt lifted by the spirit.”
And it didn’t take long before Jenice started seeing a change in herself and her daughter, Mireya.
“She started growing so fast and adapted to City Kids so quickly,” said Jenice. “She started talking and got potty trained so fast. That’s when I realized I had such a smart two-year-old.”
Looking Inward
Through counseling, Jenice learned how much healing her heart needed. She was able to get support through our on-campus partners, House of Cherith and Mercy Care. She also loved going to church consistently through Go Church right down the hall from Eden Village.
“I was finally able to take a break without really taking a break,” said Jenice. “I had a lot of healing I didn’t know I needed to do.”
Through the help of her case managers, Jenice worked hard at treating her PTSD and bettering herself. She also enrolled at Atlanta Tech and started studying cosmetology. She was also able to be in school while working at a brunch restaurant–Maple Street Biscuit Company. The hours paired perfectly with Mireya’s preschool schedule at City Kids.
“I am able to smile and just realize how much we’ve grown within a year,” said Jenice. “I kept wanting to quit so many times, but if I was feeling overwhelmed, I could just go to a staff member. They always looked at me favorably and helped me create a new plan.”
Home At Last
Best of all, Jenice’s growth came full circle when she secured permanent housing not far from City of Refuge so Mireya could continue her schooling.
“We're able to be more comfortable, and it makes me proud to know my daughter has a home now,” said Jenice. “I don't have to carry a big burden on myself to be around Mireya–she always felt when I was going to something. Now she's able to be happy because we're all happy.”
Next, Jenice hopes to finish school, earn her cosmetology license, and save up enough money to buy a car. To future residents, Jenice encourages them to take a leap of faith and pray a lot.
“City of Refuge was definitely the best thing to happen to me,” said Jenice. “I have definitely grown so much, and I love that for myself.”
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