Opening up to God
When Trisha's fiance Chris got caught up in drug use and sent to prison, she was left on her own with three kids. At the time, Chris was granted approval by a judge to serve six months in county jail and six months in The Salvation Army's Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) in Perris, CA.
Trisha struggled to keep her family afloat while Chris was at the ARC. When her refrigerator broke, forcing her to throw out all of her food, a member of the Moreno Valley Salvation Army Corps Community Center helped get her a refrigerator within twenty-four hours and refill it. A week later, Trisha's car broke, leaving her without transportation to get to church. Lieutenant David and Kelly of the Moreno Valley Corps arranged for a ride for Trisha to get to church every Sunday. "They're amazing people," Trisha says of Lts. David and Kelly. "You know where their heart is.... you see the love of God in them."
Meanwhile, Chris was working towards completing the rehabilitation program. During his time, Chris became a mentor to new men entering the ARC. Eventually, Chris became an adherent of the Corps and is now working towards becoming a soldier.
Today, Trisha and Chris give back to The Salvation Army any way they can. "We want to continue to serve God, continue our path in The Salvation Army. We don't know where it's going to take us but The Salvation Army saved our lives," Trisha says. "Somehow, someway, God made a way. I never was without, every month, since I came to know God, and came to The Salvation Army." Trisha and Chris hope to continue their lives with The Salvation Army and are even planning on being married by Lieutenant David and Kelly.