I Have Fun Giving

“I love playing with Joshua Station,” says Christine Plentyhoops. It’s an odd way to talk about donating and volunteering, and she peppers her story with delighted laughter.

As Regional Vice President of Primerica and an investment advisor, Christine was meeting with a client some years ago. Inspired and intrigued by her client’s financial priorities of generosity and service, Christine turned the tables and asked for advice about where to get involved. Her client served on the MHM board, and soon Christine was touring Joshua Station. She “fell in love.”

The love story begins much earlier, however. Christine grew up struggling with poverty, and as a young woman found herself in a devastating situation married to a relapsed addict—culminating in divorce. Injured in an accident, she was only able to work part time. After an eviction she was homeless, and her car was repossessed. “The families at Joshua Station… they are me,” she says.

Christine’s “play” at Joshua Station took the form of teaching financial classes for residents, which were so effective that they are now a mandatory part of the program. “Anything ‘mandatory’ is not an easy sell up front,” Christine observes. “I level the playing field by telling them I know it’s hard to spend time away from families for the class—for me and them both! I show up in ordinary clothes and share my story of devastated self-worth and a credit score of 437. ‘Where you are now is just a circumstance, not a life sentence,’ I say. I love to laugh with that group.”

Christine’s husband Brian can relate too; he grew up in poverty, living on an Indian reservation and later in San Francisco. “Brian and I have fun giving,” Christine says, “with our dollars and time.” In their monthly checks or in the financial class at Joshua Station, it definitely shows.

 We Are the Stories

Jazmin Lopez-Geminiano has lived the stories of our community in more ways than most. She’s been a teen mentee of our community partners in the city, an apprentice at Issachar Center for Urban Leadership (then a program of MHM), a client at Justice and Mercy Legal Aid Center (also then a MHM program), a mentor herself, a contracted team member, a donor, and eventually board president of Mile High Ministries.

“Our board is a lot more than just financial decision-making,” Jazmin says. “We help the organization become ever more true to itself by tending to MHM’s ‘special sauce.’” Jazmin has been formed by—and helps form—our values, best practices, spirituality, and ways of building community. “We are part of the actual stories that make the sauce.”

Navigating childhood on the streets of Mexico City, surviving a harrowing immigration experience, arriving at Denver’s West High School with no English, and persevering as a college student all prepared her for service and leadership at MHM. “I’m amazed, really, when I think about how I’ve grown through these roles—and how my life has been woven through them. God has brought me a long, long way.”

For Jazmin this is a work of love. “I know that God is compassionate, and we have the opportunity to show our compassion. It’s so crazy out there, especially these days, and especially for people in society who come from where I do. I love being at Joshua Station, sharing family times with my husband and kids together with residents on the playground. I love to give, and I love to be grateful.”

When Sawsan arrived at Joshua Station with her three children, she carried more than just the weight of displacement—she carried the deep love of a mother fighting for her family’s future. As a refugee from Syria, Sawsan faced challenges familiar to many who leave everything behind in search of safety and stability. Yet, her greatest struggle was not just learning a new culture or a new language; it was caring for her eldest daughter, whose terminal illness had kept her in the hospital for months.

A few weeks ago Sawsan’s daughter finally came home—to Joshua Station, to hospice, to the embrace of a community committed to standing with them in love. Though the days are difficult, Sawsan does not walk them alone. And in the midst of it all, she persists courageously and with boundless hope. Read more here

“The moment I walked into my new room at Joshua Station I cried, just seeing the bed. I hadn’t slept in a bed of my own since 2018. At best I would be in my car for naps or hiding on a workplace floor, going weeks hardly sleeping at all.”

In the past year since that moment, Jenny Padilla says she is doing “phenomenal.” Working together with her Joshua Station Family Advocate Lauren Ruth, she has:

• Maintained her sobriety “I’d never go back to that life!”
• Made personal strides in therapy “It’s an amazing resource for us residents”
• Landed a good job at Mountain States Toyota and advocated for a raise “They’re happy with the work I do”
• Saved money and worked to regain her driver’s license “For more opportunities”
• Enrolled in college “I’m very determined and absolutely confident I’ll go all the way to my master’s degree in psychology”
• Become a healthy and loving mom “My kids give me a reason to live every day”

“I have such a beautiful relationship with Lauren,” says Jenny. “Before Joshua Station, I never had good relationships with anyone. I can tell Lauren anything, and she doesn’t judge. She makes me feel special; not alone. She constantly encourages me to do better. It’s helped me open up to other friendships, too.” Read more here

From everything Sarah Eckenrode heard about Joshua Station, she knew this was the place where she wanted to rebuild her life. In fact, as soon as she heard she would be accepted into the program as a resident, she named her unborn son Joshua.

Sarah remembers being told not to worry about bringing anything—just clothes and Joshua. When Sarah walked into her Joshua Station residence for the first time, she was overcome. “I just cried. I couldn’t believe how beautifully decorated it was, personalized for my baby son and for me. The crib was just his size. I said, ‘Joshua, this is our new home!’” And she says the support at Joshua Station was even beyond what she expected. “I just love it here.”

“Sarah was very uncertain and insecure at first about how to do life, and to parent her son,” remembers her family advocate Ana Reyes. Little by little, Sarah gained confidence. With insights from staff and a parenting coach, Sarah realizes she needs to help Joshua, now age 2, become more independent and be ok out of her sight. Everybody enjoys Joshua’s big personality—always smiling, playing peek-a-boo, and waving.”

Sarah has worked hard in her pursuit of a career in the medical field, with assistance from Education and Employment Coordinator Maria Sierra. A recent setback in her education plans dealt a huge blow. “But nothing is going to stop me from my goal,” she declared in a recent community meeting. “Before, this would have brought me down and I would have given up. Not now, no way.”

“Sarah’s always saying how grateful she is for all that we’ve done for her,” Ana says. “But I remind her SHE is the one who has done the hard work. I’m just so proud of her. Her positivity and determination is inspiring to us all.”

“This is the first time in my life I haven’t been controlled by somebody” Sarah Sutton says. “It’s like I’ve been in a cult, and I’m finally free.”

Five years ago, in a first desperate step, Sarah began researching the words “narcissist” and “sociopath.” She was shocked to discover that her husband checked every single box. She thought back to a previous marriage, as a young woman with another abusive man who checked the same boxes. She remembered the crushing shame and guilt of leaving him, piled on by her church which viewed divorce as sinful. Now she didn’t know if she could face again the shame of leaving—but she had to consider her son Evran.

The decision left Sarah and Evran homeless. To survive even short term, she incurred a large credit card debt. In crisis, she found Joshua Station.

“I was ready to soar. But I was like a baby bird,” Sarah says. “I had no wind beneath my wings at all.” Read more here.

“The day before I came to Joshua Station, I was very scared,” says Georgina Valarde. “I started praying it would fall through.”

“Georgina’s past traumas left her extremely guarded, negative, and untrusting,” says Family Advocate Ana Reyes. “In the beginning I worked hard simply to rekindle trust.” Georgina’s start with Joshua Station was rocky, with anger and negativity affecting relationships.

To make matters worse, Georgina developed serious medical problems. “But I really think that hard situation prompted change,” Ana reflects. Georgina awakened to how she really did value her life. She treasured her children. She considered her blessings. She expressed a desire to really work on her life. At a key juncture Ana asked her pointedly, “What do YOU think you need to do to make that happen?”

With time, everyone observed dramatic changes in Georgina. She focused on our program and her goals. “I grew calm, and my daughters also grew calm,” she says. “There were bad times, but those things happened to make me stronger and helped me believe more in God. Things happen for a reason. It made me the strong and patient person I am today.”

With the help of our staff and her own hard work, Georgina was able to secure her own apartment not far from Joshua Station. She loves the independence, and we stay in touch through our Integration Program (supportive aftercare program).

“That weak and fearful person [who arrived at Joshua Station]? That person is gone. In everything I went through, I was supported. I have grown personally and spiritually, and I will never forget my experience at Joshua Station.”

Aaliyah Chavez comes from a very high achieving family. So it was no surprise when she graduated from high school, but it sure was a big celebration at Joshua Station!

Along with three younger kids in her family, Aaliyah’s academic work has been outstanding. Of course, it hasn’t been easy. “During the past year, I realized that I was really going to have to increase my focus to achieve my goals,” Aaliyah says. “I had to take it to a higher level. I’m proud that I did. I’m very aware that I’m the first person in my entire family line ever to graduate from high school. I know that I am paving the way for the others right behind me.”

Aaliyah must have a hovering taskmaster parent, right? “I just sit back and watch each of these guys do incredible things,” says Gwyneth, who is raising her four grandchildren at Joshua Station—including Aaliyah. “I sit down and listen to each child. Each one has their own pace. For Aaliyah, I give her the right look and she takes it to heart.”

Learning from her grandmother, Aaliyah places great value on passing on her indigenous tribal heritage—Oklahoma Seminole. She practices traditional songs and dances with shells and jingles. For Aaliyah’s graduation, her grandmother saved and sacrificed to commission a traditional dress—sewn by an elder in Oklahoma. Horizontal patterns in the dress represent different clans in Aaliyah’s lineage, for instance the Deer Clan in the symbols across the yellow field. As you can imagine, our whole Joshua Station family was bursting with pride as we celebrated with dancing in the courtyard.