Every day, Alisha* used to carry her belongings wherever she went. But through Wesley Community Housing’s support, Alisha can now safely leave her belongings in her home.
“Wesley Mission helped me find a house. They gave me a bed, food, blankets and things for inside my home,” Alisha says.
Not long after Alisha moved to Australia with her husband, they separated. Despite one door closing, another door opened, and Alisha’s life took an exciting turn. She met her new partner and together, they had a daughter.
But this loving home quickly faded when Alisha started experiencing domestic violence from her partner. Without any financial support to fall back on, Alisha worried she couldn’t provide for her daughter and felt she had no choice but to stay.
“I didn’t have money, not even a cent. That’s why I stayed with this man for support,” Alisha explains.
But the abuse continued and eventually, he left Alisha. Alone, pregnant and without a home, Alisha and her daughter headed to a nearby refuge in Southern Sydney. Alisha was referred to Wesley Mission by The Salvation Army in Campsie and for the first time, she had hope. Not only did Alisha find a home through Wesley Community Housing, but she also found support through Wesley Community Engagement Lead, Liesa.
“Wesley Mission made me feel happy because the people treated me so nicely. They supported me and Liesa is so very kind,” Alisha says.
Alisha is so thankful that Liesa came into her life because she has someone she can turn to during tough times.
“I trust Liesa. She always prays for me and then I feel happy. Now I’ve opened my heart up to God,” Alisha shares.
Three years later, Alisha now has her own private rental. While Alisha no longer lives at a Wesley Community Housing property, she’s still continually overwhelmed by Liesa’s kindness.
“She keeps supporting me when she doesn’t have to,” Alisha says.
Today, Liesa and Alisha regularly connect at Wesley Community Housing engagement events in her local area and Alisha continues to be a part of a close-knit community with our Community Housing team and tenants. She even brings her daughter and grandchild along to connect and worship at our Wesley CityHeart midweek gathering.
*Names and photos changed for privacy reasons.