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By Carmen Warner-Robbins, Welcome Home Ministries
Waiting on the steps of the Welcome Home office, Judy was in the process of detoxing from a heroine addiction, only having been incarcerated for about 14 days. She is silent, reflecting upon the horrible events of the past several weeks.
It was only a month ago, a friend had stopped by to share some heroin she had just gotten. Good stuff, this was really good stuff. Judy had just shared a portion of her dope when her friend began to convulse, and dropped onto the floor. Judy immediately ran over to him, checking his status, “Where is his pulse… there is no pulse. Someone call 911.”
In an attempt to do something, Judy began mouth to mouth, a procedure she had remembered from a CPR class she had taken years ago. As Judy continued CPR, she began to notice some response. “The paramedics are here” someone shouted. "Hurry, over here.”
After only a few minutes, the man began to breath on his own. “Thank God, I think he will make it.” Judy brought herself back to reality. “I almost killed a man” she thought.
As a Welcome Home peer approached Judy, ill, cold and scared, “You’re ready aren’t you,” the peer said. “Yes," Judy replied, "but I am not sure what to do next." "You have already taken the first step on your reentry journey to wholeness and complete healing. We will walk along side of you the rest of the way, but we can’t do it for you," said the peer.
With guidance from Welcome Home, referrals to Mental Health Systems, assistance with placement into North County Serenity House, money for a California ID, and with much love and support, this young woman is celebrating her 1st birthday, one year of sobriety, stable on her medications, established in employment and has just completed her third semester in college, studying to become a paramedic. The possibilities are endless. This young woman is a mentor for other women in the program, running groups, assisting newcomers at Welcome Home Ministries and Brother Beno’s Sober Living, where she recently was made assistant house manager. This young woman is an example of the power of change that comes when you have someone that believes in you, the incredible example of what love and acceptance can do in the lives of incarcerated women.
Copyright © 2008 Christian Association for Prison Aftercare. All Rights Reserved.
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