The Yellow Brick Road To Reach Your Goals

Justine | Graduated May 2021

I was lost and all I had was my belief that God would see me through.

My experience was one of the most awkward, uncomfortable, foreign, and humbling experiences I’ve ever had. It was also the most rewarding, empowering, gracious, and life changing experience I’ve been blessed to receive.

Yuma County probation was cycling me in their recovery, transitional living, re-entry programing circuit that seemed to have no end. My last run at the street life landed me in Anaheim, C.A. with a new conviction. My relationship with drugs had run its course, and I needed to do my state time to start fresh and get on with my life. Shortly thereafter I got caught up and went to jail, was extradited, and I asked the judge to send me to prison. A week after my last court appearance I was in RNA wondering how everything else was going to come into focus. I was lost. I had no clue how to get on with my life. I have no family here. No friends. No money. No clue as to how I’m going to pick up the pieces.

My CO III came to me one day and told me I popped up for programing and brought me flyers and applications for halfway houses and transitional living homes.

My gut was saying @#$% that! But my options were what they were, until I was notified of a program called New Freedom. I told my CO III that was my option and if they didn’t accept me then I would walk the rocky path that was first presented to me. After some lessons and a whole lot of praying I was told I was going to be released to the program. A weight was lifted, relief was sweet until the reality of the situation set in. I’ve never completed any program I’ve been in, EVER. The nerves kicked into overdrive, tears at prayer were commonplace, the butterflies in my stomach turned into pigeons, my urge to run was gaining momentum and I haven’t even left San Pedro yet. I was in trouble.

“I was floored. The staff from Security and Intake were so friendly, courteous, helpful and kind. The building itself was so grand and welcoming unlike any programing place I have ever participated in or heard of. For the first time in my life, I went to an institution that had words of praise and appreciation spoken by the members participating.”

The glorious day came. I hit the gate and I was greeted by a friendly girl named Tia who drove me from Perryville to my new home, New Freedom.

I was floored. The staff from Security and Intake were so friendly, courteous, helpful and kind. The building itself was so grand and welcoming unlike any programing place I have ever participated in or heard of. For the first time in my life, I went to an institution that had words of praise and appreciation spoken by the members participating. I felt like Dorothy in the land of Oz and my fears and anxiety was the wicked witch lingering in the background waiting to strike. I don’t recall the exact moment I realized it, but if this program was going to help me lay my yellow brick road to reach my goals, I was going to have to trust in what was being presented to me.

Trust isn’t my strong suit, but I truly believed this was it.

Here is where my new life begins and I was led here to prosper, so while I surrendered to DOC to get a clean slate, I found myself surrendering to the program and giving all that was asked of me and then some. My faith in the New Freedom Program delivered me to where I am today. I am no longer homeless; I have the help of my other half and the New Freedom family and I am bursting with hope for myself and others trying to live better than they were. I had to put my faith into action for it to become my reality. I am living my best life and prospering as promised and I have faith you will too.