Caring Connections Provides Path to Future
Thadene and Teriel were hard workers but with only a high school degree it was hard to find employment that supported a family. She says “we kept going and never took the easy road. I had grown up in poverty, even being homeless at times during my childhood. We wanted our kids to see hard working parents and this along with our desire to break the cycle of black impoverished women held us together. I also wanted my story to be and end differently so we never gave up.” Thadene says the biggest struggle she faced was finding her footing in life and breaking away from bad habits that stopped her from making progress. Growing up she did not learn how to manage money, appreciate the value of higher education, or develop healthy coping skills and boundaries. This led to many of the struggles she faced in adulthood. She realized she was repeating the patterns modeled in her childhood and decided to separate from Teriel to focus on herself and give him space to focus on his own goals.
Thadene says being connected to the Caring Connections Ministry(CCM) and her mentoring relationship with Cynthia “was like having a fairy godparent that gave guidance along every step of life. It helped me to learn how God works through others and how essential it is to pour into one another. I call Cynthia “my sunshine” and can’t believe she stuck with little ‘ole me all these years. She (and the ministry as a whole) love effortlessly and never gave up on me.”
Thadene and Teriel are excited about their future. He is studying for his CDL Class A license and works for a major builder in the Raleigh area. Thadene started a new job this year as a patient assistant providing support to people suffering from Hepatitis C. She also started her own business (Olivia’s Sage, Stones & Oils - https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thadenes) creating an eczema oil after years of experimenting with blends to relieve her daughter’s severe eczema. Thadene would also like to create a nonprofit to help men, women, and children overcome sexual abuse and homelessness and is hoping to serve as a CCM mentor soon. When asked if married life felt any different, she giggled and said, “Yes and no…Teriel still doesn’t clean up much so that has not changed, but I now feel more like an honorable woman in the eyes of God.”
The Caring Connections Ministry is a certified CWJC site and operates out of Raleigh, NC located in the Raleigh Baptist Association. They are a 501c3 and welcome donations and volunteers to help mentor women facing barriers associated with generational poverty. www.caringconnectionsministry.com. You can follow them on Facebook to see highlights of their ministry and the needs they may have.