Tori's Story
It has been nearly a decade since Tori first called New Mercies Ministries. At the time, she was a mom of four, working hard to hold things together. When daycare challenges came up, she did what many parents do; juggled, sacrificed, and pushed through. But then her home became unsafe, and suddenly, the situation felt unmanageable.
Reaching Out
“I remember calling this number in desperate need,” she said. “I didn’t know what else to do.” That call connected her to the New Mercies’ Support Line and ultimately to a meeting at a local McDonald’s with two women, Bonnie and Lisa.
Beyond temporary support, Lisa would become a lifelong friend and spiritual family. “I really connected with Lisa,” Tori shared. Lisa was a brand-new Family Coach at the time, and Tori was her very first family. Their bond was instant and enduring. “They’re my godparents now, her and her husband. You guys were like heaven-sent to me.” Over the past nine years, that connection has only deepened. Even outside the Hosting Ministry, they have continued to walk alongside one another in life and faith.
Tori’s kids were hosted twice through New Mercies, during that first crisis, and again when she delivered her fifth child. But the relationship hasn’t ended there. “It’s been years, 9 years, and they have stayed in touch the whole time,” she said.
A New Community
Each hosting arrangement came with its own challenges. “It’s always awkward at first because you’re in a situation and needing these people but all the families would continuously send updates and make me feel comfortable,” Tori shared. Despite being in a vulnerable position, Tori never felt judged or belittled. “Everybody I had didn’t make me feel judged. In my situation now...I cringe—but none of them made me feel like that. They didn’t make my children feel like that.”
What Tori remembers most, though, is how God used this community to carry her through. “Even after New Mercies helped me for a short time, it helped me tremendously gaining stability for my kids. I did not have what I needed at all.”
Full Circle
Today, Tori owns her home and has lived there with her children for over four years, a testament to the stability she fought for and the support that helped make it possible.
Her message to other moms is simple but profound: “Accept the help. Ask for help. I don’t even remember how I found out about New Mercies, but I was just like, I can’t do this. Now they see me and they’re like, wow, you’re thriving. It’s refreshing to look back and say I conquered this, with the help of others, of course.”
Her experience echoes the heartbeat of New Mercies: the Church mobilized, families preserved, and Christ glorified.