One of the newer ministries that is becoming a massive blessing to our church and to the people the ministry serves is SOCC partnership with the Arms of Hope Family Outreach Center (AOH). AOH provides assistance, counseling and various levels of financial support to single moms coming out of some very difficult situations. AOH’s partnership with SOCC started in 2015 and has blessed many moms over these last 4 years. Below is the story of one of the moms and her family who are members here.
Growing up, I experienced neglect, poverty and abuse. Growing up I felt alone which has always been one of my biggest fears. Loneliness is a dark place where you feel emptiness and fear, without anyone there to turn to. As soon as I was of legal age I was thrown into the world with no armor to protect me from the battles that were ahead of me. With no choice, I dropped out of high school my senior year. Without the support from my family, and with motherhood four months away I began my life alone, rolling from place to place, hitting bumpy roads along the way and being physically and emotionally abused by my children’s father. I managed to live this “Life” for three years until one day, in February of 2016 I grabbed the diaper bag, a baby bottle, my phone, and I started walking, holding one kid with one hand, pushing a stroller with the other while heavy tears ran down my swollen cheeks, I walked… I walked for what seemed to be an eternity. I was alone but I kept walking without looking back.
