If you or I were to become homeless, it would be awkward. It will be awful, but we have layers of relationships. We have friends; we have family; we have churches; we have jobs. There are ways that we could get ourselves back on our feet.
But for most of the homeless and especially the girls that we’re serving, they don’t have that.
They don’t have layers of healthy relationships. They don’t have people that are invested in them. They don’t have jobs. They don’t have any way to get back on their feet, and that’s where we come in.
Going into this role, I had a perception that the girls we’d be serving might have gone astray at prom or things just went a little too far with a boyfriend, but what we’ve found is that things were so much more difficult for these girls. The stories we hear within the walls of the SONshine home speak of generational trauma, of hardships that many of us can scarcely imagine.
A Tough Reality
Residents have shared bits of their experiences including sexual abuse as early as age
three; living in homes with a dozen or more other people with no electricity and no bathroom facilities (so they use the back wall of the house); bathing in the ditch when it was running in the summer; and lack of regular food and lack of clean water…almost third world conditions in the state of Montana in 2024. Many of these girls also come from broken families with family members struggling with major addictions.
Yet, despite all odds, these young women are choosing a different path.
I cannot imagine what it would be like to be a 20-year-old girl trying to get your child back from CPS, trying to overcome addiction, trying to get benefits when you have no idea how to navigate the system. I have so much respect for these girls and the incredibly difficult things they’re doing.
Every day, we bear witness to small victories that have monumental impacts. From earning a HiSET to securing a job, these mamas are changing the course of their lives one milestone at a time.
Our mamas are the true heroes in their own stories.
We’re providing the home and the structure, the staff and volunteers to make their dreams a reality, but they’re the ones that are brave enough to dream. It’s a really hard thing to come from the background they’ve had and decide that they want to make a different life for themselves and their children.
This growth process takes time. It’s hard, it’s messy, and it’s raw. But our mission is clear: to provide a safe haven, a place of peace and learning, where these young mothers can find their footing, heal from trauma, and create a better life for themselves.
This demands countless hours from our staff and volunteers, along with unwavering dedication and a commitment to love unconditionally. I’ve worked with other ministries in the past and the impact can’t really be compared from a single event or a week-long activity versus being in the home with the girls, working with them 24 hours a day, seven days a week to really build a relationship. It is within these relationships, within this community, that true transformation takes root.
But the dedication required to maintain a safe and nurturing environment constantly is immense, both in terms of time and resources. Providing 24/7 care means our team must undergo extensive training to address the unique needs of each resident with compassion and understanding. The costs associated with staffing and ongoing training are significant, but they pale in comparison to the immeasurable impact they have on the lives of these young women and their children.
As we strive to be the hands and feet of Jesus, we invite you to stand alongside us. Your support, whether through donations or prayer, fuels the light that guides these young mothers out of the darkness they once knew.
With gratitude,
TJ Rogers
SONshine Home House Manager
