My name is Desma, I’m 34 years old, and I’ve been in recovery since June of 2024. I became addicted to Fentanyl in 2020 and meth the following year, and any other drug I could get my hands on after that. I lost everything I worked hard for, including my two boys. I was in and out of jail for reasons that fed my addiction. There was no light at the end of the tunnel for me. I was hopeless. I had tried to quit countless times on my own, but I had no strength and no one to lean on.

Until my last arrest in June of 2024, I could have run, but surrendering gave me a sense of peace. I didn’t know what I was surrendering to, but after picking up a Bible in jail, I realized it was God. During my jail stay, I struggled to understand the bible, so I prayed for clarity and decided just to wait. Eventually, everything started to fall into place. I was accepted into drug court and was released into the Harvest Home, a faith-based recovery home, where I began to build my relationship with Jesus. After graduating from their program, I moved to Rebekah’s House, where I began rebuilding my life again.

I’ve found several resources to lean on, with plenty of structure, accountability, and healing. The journey has been hard, but thanks to God, I’ve been able to reconnect with my children. I hold a full-time job as a Caregiver. I own my own vehicle and am currently waiting to be placed in a home through Ecumenical Housing. I recently picked up playing guitar. I’m trying to teach myself, so I’m not very good at it, but it helps me through stressful times. My long-term goal is to have stable housing and have my boys full-time. In the meantime, I’m doing everything I can to better myself as a mother, which includes studying the bible, going to counseling, and holding healthy boundaries.