Julie's Story

“I haven't felt so sure of anything, except when I became a Christian,” Julie states as she prepares for her favorite class: art.

For Julie, both her faith and her art are real. Faith in God and faith in herself. Faith in her artistic abilities and her desire to see the world in a cascading array of colors and shapes ... not the black-and-white canvas of her former life.

Julie grew up on the coast. The youngest of four, Julie watched her parents slowly stumble into a life of addictions: gambling, alcohol and drugs. In the process, the mounting debt and frustrations destroyed her world. "I remember my parents lying on the couch unconscious for days as a result of drinking or drugs. I remember my older sister helping me get ready for school, fix our meals and make sure we got to bed on time," she reflects.

One afternoon as she got off the school bus, Julie noticed a police car in the driveway. Her parents would not come home and a safe place was needed for the children. The authorities brought Julie to Mount Dora Children's Home. "That day was a sad day for my family. I'll never forget it," she ponders.

While the circumstances behind her arrival were tragic, Julie's life was positively impacted when she stepped on this campus. She discovered both a hunger to know God and a rich talent in the arts. Her natural abilities have been nurtured by her teachers and her housemom. "Julie has real ability! If she works at it, there's no telling how far she can go," remarks her art teacher.

"I like living here. My houseparents love me and I like going to church. It's nice not worrying about what to eat or wear. It's nice to know someone cares," she comments.

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