Rachelle
Samaritan Women Testimony
Hello. My name is Rachelle. I am the third of eleven
children in my family. I am a mother of two and a grandmother of three. My
daughters currently live in northern and southern California.
I began my life of crime when I was 18 (it was undercover). I was introduced to
crack and from that point, it went down hill. (I was an out of the closet drug
user.) My family would have nothing to do with me. All I had was the ‘crack’.
I eventually found myself in jail. While I was incarcerated, my grandmother
passed away and I was not able to be there with her. My grandmother wanted me at
her bedside, but I was in jail. I freaked out when I was told about my
grandmother being ill. Brenda, the chaplain at the Fresno County Jail, came to
me. She was the angel God sent on my behalf. I soon began attending the Life
Changing Classes offered at the Fresno County Jail, and I began doing the Gospel
Echo’s Bible Studies which helped me know God more and know His love for me.
It wasn’t long before I began enjoying my life once again. I was released from
the Fresno County Jail and went to CAP. I then moved to a sober living home. I
did relapse a few times, but God loved me and was very patient with me during
that time.
Today I am a child of God. My family and I have a great relationship. I belong
to First Friendship Baptist Church in Selma. I also work for the church. I am
very active in all church programs. If it is not church related, I don’t go.
I am also involved with Samaritan Women. I take classes that are offered at the
Center. I also attend Bible Study on Wednesday mornings at EV Free Church. I
come to the Center to hang out with other Christian women. Samaritan Women is a
part of my daily routine. Without God, the church and Samaritan Women, I would
be a lost soul. God knows better than anyone I have met.
I have been an angry person for so long. But since God has come into my life, my
anger is slowing disappearing. For example, I was on the phone with the Child
Support Services Unit. They were making me very angry and frustrated. I found
myself feeling inside like I was going to explode. At that moment, I let the
lady I was speaking with know I was a new Christian and I was trying very hard
to do things different now and to act like a godly person. So I told her to
please be patient with me because God would see me through this. She then stated
to me, “Well praise God. I understand your frustration.” She put me on hold and
came back and said, “We (child support) do make mistakes.” So God was in my life
and already changing me at that time because it could have been worse.
Samaritan
Women
