Kayla was always prone to outbursts. It made her time in school difficult, to say the least. It felt like she had no control over her emotions, especially negative emotions. They just seemed to bubble up at the worst times, overflowing as screams and tears.

The teachers at her school viewed her as a problem child. Her peers saw her as weird. And her parents, if they noticed her at all, saw her as an inconvenience and embarrassment.

Fractured Family

Kayla was born to teenagers who were not ready to be parents. When Kayla was young, she lived with her mother and grandmother. But her mother fought bitterly with Kayla’s grandmother, eventually moving out and preventing Kayla from having contact with her grandma. But Kayla missed the security of her grandmother’s house. It was a warm and welcoming place, filled with the love of her grandmother. Her mother’s apartment was different.

Kayla’s parents did not stay together past high school. That meant Kayla’s mother was constantly bringing different men home or going out. From the time Kayla was 9 years old, she stayed home alone most nights as her mother went out and partied.

Her dad’s involvement in her life was sporadic. He seemed to remember that he had a daughter only when it was convenient to him. And he never kept his promises to Kayla—she was more surprised when he actually showed up on her birthday or holidays.

In nearly all areas of her life, Kayla felt ignored. And perhaps that’s where the outbursts came from: she was so desperate for attention that she would take it any way she could get it.

It also didn’t help that Kayla’s mother was irresponsible and depended on Kayla to get things done around the house. Kayla quickly learned that if she didn’t do the laundry, clean, or remind her mom to pay the bills, nothing would get done. These adult responsibilities weighed heavily on Kayla and added to the anger she felt toward her mother.

Kayla’s desperation and frustration peaked in the lunchroom one day at school. When a peer stole her lunch, she punched him. A teacher immediately ushered her to the principal’s office.

Even though she was in trouble, Kayla wasn’t afraid of what might happen to her. She only felt angry: at her parents, at the other students, and at the world. Even so, she was sure that she would be suspended, or worse.

Her principal explained to her that her behavior was not acceptable, which she expected. But then he said something that she didn’t see coming. He asked her what things were like at home. Kayla couldn’t hold back—she told him everything. How her parents ignored her, how sometimes she felt so lonely and angry that it hurt, and how much she missed the stable life she once had at her grandmother’s home.

Fortunately, Kayla’s principal knew about Mercy Home, and it came to mind when he heard about her struggles at home. Kayla was immediately interested. And after her mother agreed, it wasn’t long until she was moving in.

A Confident Leader

In our safe and loving Home, Kayla began to thrive. The time she spent with her therapist helped her deal with her emotions in a healthy way. And the other girls could relate to her struggles, so they didn’t judge her the way her classmates did. She soon found herself with several friends. Her loneliness seemed to melt away. Today, Kayla is a confident leader among her peers.

At Mercy Home, Kayla found the loving family and home she always wanted. Thank you for keeping young people like Kayla in your prayers. It means the world to them.

Please note: Because we care deeply about protecting our children’s privacy, the names and certain identifying details in this story have been changed.