HOPE FOR THE HOLLOW FREEDOM WRITERS Testimonies of God’s Grace to Set the Captives of Hazy Hollow FR

Hello my name is Candace Lopez. I am 31 years old and I want to tell you a little bit about my life while I was in addiction and living on the street in the hollow.

I was known as a “tweeker,” who walked the streets of the hollow. I would walk from dope house to dope house looking for my next high. When I would get tired of doing that I would go to this tent that I lived in the back of the neighborhood and sleep. For nine months I called that tent my home sweet home. At that time my two beautiful children, that lived with my mother in that same neighborhood, had not seen me in 3years due to my addiction to meth.

CPS said I was not a fit mother and I could not see them. I would walk past my mom’s house and I would see my kids playing in the yard and I would turn my head and think I was being strong by blocking any thought of ever seeing them again.

There was a small window for me to daydream of getting sober but I needed to be numb to imagine that. I lived with anger and resentment that tortured me for months. Those months turned into years and I found myself in jail every other month and even in prison for possession of meth. But going to jail was not shameful I had clean clothes, a shower, food and a safe place to sleep. But soon the vicious cycle of the hollow would start. I would be released from jail and again I would have no place to sleep, no food or clean clothes.

I remember thinking I have two choices I can go get high to numb myself of the consequences of my lifestyle or I could find a place to sleep away all my shame. I ended up sleeping on the floor at a very well-known dope house when one day a guy I once dated came over and said, “let me get you out of here.” Well we got out of the neighborhood and I ended up in jail looking at 5 years in federal prison for his handgun. God had me exactly where He wanted me!

I was far enough away from my vicious cycle that I was strong enough to cry out to Jesus and commit my life to Him. Since then I have been delivered from my addiction to meth and forgiven for my sins. Both my children have their mom back and I am able to be the mother God has called me to be.

God has also called me to help those whose faith is shaken and whose lives have been torn apart by addiction, to be that light that says I know where you are and I know what can get you out of there.

- Candace Lopez -