Tyra’s Story of Transformation

I never expected to be homeless. Nobody expects to be homeless, but unexpected things happen sometimes. 

I have a college degree in Mandarin and Chinese. There have been many times where I have been confused and frustrated about how I became homeless with a degree.

I never thought this would be a part of my story, but I have had to have faith in God that He is going to work all things out in the end. 

Before moving to Atlanta I lived in Greensboro, where I had a job and my own apartment, but unfortunately, I lost my job and soon found myself evicted from my apartment. I then decided to move to Maryland to live with my father for a little bit, and he died of cancer in September of 2019. 

All of that was very difficult to deal with at once, and it’s still something that I am still processing every day. After my father died, I returned to Greensboro to live with my mother, and I was supposed to establish myself there, but that didn’t work out. It was a toxic environment for me. 

I decided if I was going to be living somewhere, especially if I was going to be homeless than I would rather be where I wanted to be and Atlanta felt like a fresh start. So, I bought a train ticket and ended up at My Sister’s House. From the first night I got here, I was surprised by how nice the shelter is. 

What I love the most about Atlanta Mission is the people here don’t treat you any differently because you are homeless. They treat you like a regular person who has experienced an ordeal of situations and circumstances, and they help you get back on your feet. 

I am now in the Make Progress part of the program. Being in Make Progress has been so helpful, because we take classes, strengthen our job skills, and establish ourselves in the Atlanta community. I have also been seeing a counselor while at Atlanta Mission, which has been very beneficial for me to work through things in my past, like my father’s death. 

I have learned so much during my time at Atlanta Mission. 

The relationships that you have with people are so important, and you never know who God will send into your life to provide new opportunities. 

I have had to trust that God is going to put me in situations to grow me in the end – even if that means being in a shelter.

To read more stories of transformation like Tyra’s story, click here.