From Isolation to Community: Melinda’s Story
When Melinda became pregnant with her third child, she thought everything was going perfectly. Her two daughters were happy and safe in their home, she and her fiancé planned to get married, and both were eager to welcome their new baby. Within three months, however, Melinda watched everything fall apart. In this blog, we share Melinda’s story in her own words and how one church surrounded her family in a time of crisis.
Loss Upon Loss
It started when Melinda was placed on leave from her job due to a severely herniated disc. Pregnant, she spent five months at home trying to recover. Then, her youngest became seriously ill with pneumonia and spent a week in the hospital. As soon as they got home, she and her fiancé fought, resulting in Melinda being pushed into their entertainment center.
“It kinda just went haywire from there,” Melinda says. “He destroyed a lot of the house. It got very toxic and very violent.”
Melinda’s fiancé took her to court, placed a restraining order on her, and served her legal documents attempting to gain full custody of her youngest daughter. He also accused her of domestic violence, which automatically alerts the Administration for Children’s Services (ACS). By law, the ACS must investigate these reports to ensure the children’s safety. The investigation confirmed the allegations were false, but Melinda says it severely impacted her kids.
“There were weeks of crying because of the scene in front of the house,” she remembers.
Melinda ended up losing her job. To make matters worse, with her fiancé no longer supporting them financially, they soon received an eviction notice. With few options, she moved herself and her two daughters to an apartment.
Isolation
When things seemed like things couldn’t get worse, Melinda experienced her biggest loss. Because of the stress her situation caused, the single mother suffered a miscarriage, giving birth in her car. It’s difficult for her to talk about when she shares this part of her story.
“I think I might have lost my mind,” she says tearfully. “I was already slowly losing my mind. Praying for a son, praying that our marriage would work, and seeing my baby there broke something inside of me.”
Melinda goes on to say that she felt like a failure to her children and that she would never go anywhere with her life. As a result, Melinda isolated both herself and her kids. She rarely left their apartment, and their living conditions deteriorated. It soon came to the point where her children were at risk of being removed from the home. The thought that she could lose her children made her angry and terrified.
Finding Her Community
Melinda grew up in church but hadn’t returned for a while due to hurt in the past. Now, though, she felt desperate for help.
“I was at the bottom of the bottom when I went back to church. I just needed to be at God’s feet at that point.”
Melinda visited a church she’d been to previously and spoke to someone on the leadership team. She explained what had occurred over the last three months, and the church surrounded her immediately. Using resources provided by our partner, Promise686, they created a care team and an action plan.
The care team immediately brought food for Melinda and her daughters to their apartment. They filled the refrigerator and provided gift cards for the grocery store, which brought Melinda to tears. They also delivered furniture for the sparse apartment and clothes for the two girls.
“They were so excited. They were trying things on and putting on a fashion show,” says Melissa, a care team member.
Once all of the family’s immediate needs were met, the care team kept supporting Melinda as she faced her isolation. They spent time with her kids to give her a break and stayed with Melinda when leaving the apartment felt too overwhelming. They withheld all judgment, and Melinda felt safe talking about everything that had happened to her. When she asked why they were helping her, the care team told her they saw her through God’s eyes. She and her children were family to them.
“Being around a community who saw me for me, and still loved me, allowed me to see that God sees me the same way,” Melinda says. “It completely changed my perspective on who I am.”
Hope For Others
Since then, Melinda has attended church every weekend and knows she has a God-given purpose. She feels called to social work, but for now, she actively serves in local outreach programs, bringing her two daughters along. Her kids are no longer at risk of being taken into state custody. Instead, they live in their loving, safe, and well-equipped home surrounded by a community that cherishes and supports the whole family.
When you give through For Others, you help us and our partners reach more families like Melinda’s. Join our Collective of change-makers today.
