"Blossoms" - as told by Youth Home Directors Mark and Debbie Loftin

"Mary" came to stay with us at New Life Youth Home when she was 13 and in the 7th grade.  Her mother had a drug addiction, had been in jail, and was neglectful and abusive of her kids.  Her father was never in her life.  Mary and all of her younger brothers and sisters had been placed in a foster home.  The younger kids did well there, but Mary had behavior problems, and so we were asked if we would take her into our home.

Mary had some rough times but responded well to our structure and nurturing and grew into a young lady.  She made good grades, participated in school sports, and was even on the Homecoming Court at school one year.  She learned to respect herself and others and grew from an angry girl to a maturing young lady.  Most importantly, her growth was not just physical, emotional, and social, but also spiritual.

Mary left us when she was 17 to move into an adoptive family, but she still keeps in touch with us here.  We were invited to see her graduate from high school and later get married.  She and her husband now have three kids.

We are proud of how she came out of an abusive background but chose a different kind of life for herself and her family, and we are blessed that God chose to use us and the Youth Home in her life.