VIDEO TRANSCRIPTION

Antoinette:
I was sexually abused as a child. I told my family that this is happening. My mom eventually just separated our relationships, so I wasn’t allowed to come over my dad’s house or see my dad. My mom basically raised me as a single mom, having seven kids who are all from a single family. But growing up without a father was detrimental to my growth. I couldn’t go and say, “Hey dad, what do you think about this?” Or, “Hey dad, I need money for prom.” Or, “Hey dad, can you help me with this area? With my car?” I’ve never had that response to my dad, and I wanted somebody like that. When I was growing up, I knew that life had more, like my family. None of them have gone to college. That wasn’t their strive, and I desired that the most.

Antoinette:
He told me, “Hey, you should come and check out Shepherd.” My mom worked three jobs, so she was really busy woman. He told us, “You can come here on a Saturday to get away from all the crazy stuff on the street.” And so, that’s what I was doing. Like Saturday school, hanging out with friends, and getting to know people. Shepherd helped me a lot, which was amazing that God used them as a instrument in my life to draw me closer and closer to him. Shepherd seen that I was struggling in school because I have dyslexia. Knowing that, they had provided for me to go out to high school. They paid for my high school career. And so, from there, I just went off to college and graduated. It took me five years because, again, I have dyslexia, and it takes longer, but graduated from there and have my degree.

Antoinette:
If Shepherd did not exist, I do think, in Indianapolis, I think it would be a hole. They do so much for the community to see little kids fulfill their whole potential. They are giving kids hope that there is a bigger thing out there. They can be whoever they want to be. Through Shepherd, there were three godly men who came into my life. God was able to plant father figures into my life to allow me to see who he was.