Sonya Changed Her Daughter’s Life Forever
Sonya* had never been so afraid before.
Not long after she turned 13, she found out she was pregnant.
She was still a child—how was she supposed to raise a baby?
Family finances were tight. Her parents could hardly afford to feed Sonya and her siblings.
The thought of raising this baby in her world made her feel sick.
And then morning sickness struck.
Then, painful contractions.
Then, sleepless nights with her newborn daughter, Maria*.
Every moment was a test of faith.
Sonya spent the next three years trying to trust God.
Though the budget remained tight, she found ways to save her family money on groceries, so Maria always had what she needed.
She was a great mom, but she was still so scared.
Sonya was starting to lose faith.
On top of caring for her baby—her school and family responsibilities were piling up.
Sonya was getting angrier and angrier.
She felt abandoned by God.
She started to doubt the plans He had for her and Maria.
Though she was taking care of Maria physically, Sonya was disconnected emotionally.
She struggled to find the energy to play with her daughter.
She felt herself growing cold toward motherhood.
She gave up so much to make sure her daughter had what she needed, and that destroyed her mental health.
Where Sonya lived, teenage motherhood is a heartbreaking norm.
Then one of Sonya’s neighbors, Lisa*, invited her to get help through a local mother’s group.
The thought of going was exhausting.
She was already so tired, so ready for sleep at the end of the day.
Sonya wasn’t sure if there could be hope for her and Maria.
But she took a chance.
She asked her mom to watch Maria and showed up.
She walked through the doors, shaking as she stepped into the unknown.
What if the other girls didn’t understand her?
What if they judged her for how tired she was?
What if someone tried to take away Maria?
What Sonya didn’t know was that this was an AGCI young mothers group.
As Sonya sat in her chair, she was surprised by the warmth she felt in the room.
From the tea she was handed when she walked in to the smiles she saw as she looked around, she started to feel more settled.
And she started to listen to the stories the other girls shared.
That night awakened something new in Sonya.
For the first time ever, Sonya really connected with girls in similar situations.
She watched as the other girls boldly opened up about their challenges as young moms.
She heard their laughter despite their challenges.
Sonya kept showing up.
It wasn’t easy for Sonya to open up to others.
She had bottled up her emotions.
She had covered her internal scars.
She had hidden away the trauma that thrust her into motherhood deep within herself.
Sonya didn’t believe there would be anyone who could relate to her struggles, no one who could lovingly hear her without judgment.
Bit by bit, Sonya started to open up.
And every time, she was heard and loved without judgment.
This finally unlocked her hidden brokenness.
She felt capable of connecting with others for the first time in years.
Finally, she wasn’t consumed by fear.
Before joining our mentorship group, Sonya didn’t know what her future held or what that meant for Maria.
For the first time in her life, Sonya felt the comfort and confidence that only God’s grace can provide.
Today, thanks to the loving care of AGCI staff and the transformational work of the Holy Spirit, Sonya feels capable of connecting with others.
She’s more confident in her parenting than ever!
For Sonya and her daughter, the cycle of trauma has been stopped in its tracks.
Sonya changed her future, and her daughter’s future, forever.
We are so proud of her hard work in unlocking hope for her family!
*Name and photo changed to protect privacy.
