Testimonials

My name is Victoria Torres I came into the Overcomer’s program in May of 1999. When I came into the home I was living on the streets I had no where to turn. I was broken, lost, and had no hope. But going into this program God truly started to change me from the inside out. I tried so many times to change my life but it was not until I came into this program when change truly started to take place. I graduated the home in May of 2000. Soon after graduating I went to Faith Alive Bible School for a two year program and graduated in September 2002. During this time I met my Husband and in 2003 we were married.

The Overcomers program taught me how to not only overcome my addiction but how to build a solid foundation in my life. They taught me the basic tools required to live a successful overcoming christian life.

I am married with three children, work full time, own a business, and I continue to teach the 12 steps to recovery every week at the women’s home. I can’t express how thankful I am for this program. This program gave me back my life, they believed in me, and loved me through the process to become a beautiful, loving, kind woman who seeks to give back to the community.

Victoria Torres, Graduate

I was introduced to marijuana at the age of 11 through my adult uncle. As I entered into High school, my marijuana use continued and expanded onto harder drugs such as acid, speed, cocaine and alcohol. I think I was more susceptible, and drawn to the euphoric and numbing effects of the drugs as a result of the sexual abuse I was subjected to from the foster parent I was living with from the age of 12.

After I was expelled from High School in the 12th grade, I experimented with freebase cocaine, and used powder cocaine recreationally until 1982 when crack cocaine hit the west coast.
Crack cocaine became my drug of choice and I continued to use it right up until 2009…27 years of destruction.

In 2009, I was blessed with the opportunity to enter into the Overcomers Program. It was through this program that I gained the necessary tools and wisdom to live an overcoming victorious life. I graduated the program in 2010 after 16 months, and stayed on as the assistant director.

In 2013, I was promoted to Program Director, and in 2014 I was married to my soul mate. I continue to stay clean and sober and to help other men to have the opportunity to change their lives for the better as well. I am forever grateful to God and the Overcomers for Program making the difference in my life.

Thomas Bryant, Graduate & Program Director

I am writing to you on behalf of the Women’s OvercomerDiscipleship Program. I am Overcomer graduate number 72. My name is Michelle Coleman and I graduated in 2004. I was broken and homeless when I came to the program. As a child I was mentally, sexually and physically abused. I started running away from home when I was 15 years old and for 18 years I abused drugs and alcohol. I sold drugs, gangbanged and prostituted and eventually ended up in prison. I always wanted to do better and I would try to do better but I always went back out to the lifestyle I grew to hate. I was raped, stabbed in my head, shot at beat up and at one period of my life I was kidnapped for 7 days. During the course of that kidnapping I was hog tied and electrocuted. When the man let me go I knew for sure there was a God. I never felt love before or knew what it was. I hated myself…

When I came to the program in 2003 it provided me and my daughter with a safe place free of drugs and men that always wanted sex. Something I never had before. It taught me value and self worth and how to love myself and to know God loved me. It challenged me to move on and not let the past hold me hostage to failure. The program taught me how to make better decisions because I do have a choice. I never knew I had a choice, I thought this was just the way I had to live because I could not see how to get out. This program opened my eyes and gave me vision to see myself as God see’s me. That is something you can never put a price on.

And now in May I have eleven years clean and sober. I have been off of parole about 12 years and I am married. My husband and I have six children and four grandsons. I live and work at an affordable housing community as the Assistant Community Manager. I also teach other women how to become leaders and impact their community for God under the leadership of Dr.’s Phillip and Brenda Goudeaux. I am currently attending the School of Ministry and will graduate successfully in 2016 because of the foundation of truths that the program laid out for my life.

Michelle Coleman, Graduate