Marysha and Her Family Build a Firm Foundation

In 2008, Marysha was told her company was downsizing and her position was cut. She lived paycheck to paycheck, supporting herself and her three children, so she knew she was in trouble.

Marysha frantically looked for work but knew an eviction notice was coming if she didn’t find a job soon. After weeks of dead ends, Marysha came to grips with the fact that her family would be on the streets if she didn’t find help. She researched different options and learned about the Orlando Union Rescue Mission.

“I was crying and praying as I filled out the application,” she said. “It was hard. It was a struggle. But a mother does what she has to do for her children.”

The Lord heard Marysha’s cry. Her family was approved to move in the same day she had to be out of her apartment. “It was a blessing right on time!” Marysha said.

Marysha and her children had a room all to themselves and were able to befriend other residents very quickly. The Christian community she found gave Marysha the support and encouragement she needed to become self-sufficient once again. She was taught how to write her very first resume and learned how to network with employers. She also was able to practice her interview skills through mock interviews at Jobs Partnership.

“The whole process gave me information I didn’t have before,” Marysha said. “It also showed me how to put God first in everything I did, from providing to my family to how I act at work.”

Her children also received help while living here. By receiving help after school through the Family Life Center, their grades went up dramatically. Their performance at school improved so much that, once the family moved out, Marysha realized she could continue investing in their future. They all continue to participate in after-school tutoring to help them continue to excel in the classroom.

Through her job-skill training, Marysha found a job as a housekeeper at a local hotel. It was that job that enabled her to afford a three-bedroom apartment for her family. But she knows this isn’t just a roof over their heads; it’s a home with a renewed focus on what really matters.

“Before this whole experience, Jesus was second in my life,” she said. “Through our time at the Mission, my family learned how to pray together, read the Bible together, and how to put Him first. The Christian community and the work program we found there gave us the foundation we stand on today.”

Marysha’s time at the Mission gave her the foundation of a new life for her and her family. Each day, O.U.R. Mission Home offers life-changing care to nearly 33 families, like Marysha’s.  Help create more stories of life transformation through your support today.  Each gift of $26.82 provides a hot meal and life-changing care for a homeless man, woman or child in Central Florida.