Among the Crisis Centre residents who will benefit from our Loos for Lent Appeal refurbishments are Anfisa and her daughter Alina.
17-year-old Anfisa's journey into adulthood was never going to be easy. One parent was absent, the other an alcoholic and home was chaos.
As a neglected child she made her own rules and experienced things no child should. By 13, she'd moved in with her boyfriend. The police returned her but within months her mum’s relentless drinking and horrific confrontations caused her to leave again. By 14, she was pregnant and at 15 she gave birth to baby Alina. When Alina was five months old, Anfisa discovered her baby's father had been cheating and his criminal behaviours were going to put him in jail.
Feeling alone, by 16, Anfisa developed a drinking problem and baby Alina was removed from her care. She was offered a choice; she could drink and lose her daughter, or she could go to the Women's Crisis Centre. Thankfully she opted for the latter.
Surrounded by experienced counsellors and loving mother figures, she has blossomed. "I love being here - my daughter is thriving and we are happy." The best news is that Anfisa has wholeheartedly accepted Jesus into her life.
After the environment she endured as a child, Anfisa is now experiencing some comfort. The facilities that need updating will be an important part of her journey as she learns habits for herself and teaches her daughter.
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