War on the inside - From fighting to purpose
War. You hear it on the news. You've seen pictures in the newspaper. You may hear about old war stories from grandparents. But, if you haven’t lived it, you will never fully understand it. Stevi and Jacob - they lived it. They fought the war on terror in Afghanistan and Iraq. But the most intense war was their own battle when they returned home.
Stevi is haunted by the memories of her childhood. Growing up in Hawaii in a home of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse led her down a road of heartache. “I didn’t have much of a childhood, my mom was involved in toxic relationships that caused abuse for me and my siblings,” said Stevi. Going in and out of foster care, Stevi knew she wanted a better life for herself. “I really wanted to go to college… I didn’t know how to pay for it. So, I decided to enlist in the army so they would pay for college,” says Stevei.
Stevi didn’t realize what was coming for her, and it wasn’t a new dorm room and fresh books. A month after basic training, Stevi was sent to fight in Iraq where she spent 11 months and 16 days hearing bombs go off around her every single day… fighting for her life, again.
After her deployment, Stevi did not end up in school, she ended up confused and unsure what to do with her life. At 21 years old, Stevi was homeless and with no plan. Later down the road in her life of homelessness, she married a man and had a child with him. They moved to Colorado, but soon after got a divorce because of her PSTD and alcoholism. And that’s when she met her saving grace, Jacob.
Born in Baltimore, raised by a single mother with 3 other siblings, Jacob had a similar upbringing to Stevi. Emotional, physical, and sexual abuse with drug addicted mother.
“I had a lot of issues because of the trauma I went through… I gravitated to all the wrong relationships searching for acceptance. I always felt rejected," Jacob said.
Jacob joined the army in hopes of getting his act together and building a future for himself. He said, “The Army changed me… my experience was emotionally difficult.”
Jacob’s first deployment was fighting in Afghanistan. The memories still keep him up at night. “I lost a lot of friends… good people. I was in war, and it was all about surviving and fighting," he said.
Jacob is haunted by a few of his experiences, one being a famous military mission gone wrong, Operation Red Wing. “I was the one who was behind the scenes when it happened… and then went to recover all the bodies from that. I lost a piece of myself out there in Afghanistan… a piece of humanity,” said Jacob.
After his deployment, Jacob returned, to an unwelcoming family who didn’t see his heroism. He slept in his truck most nights because Jacob had no place to go. He thought starting a new life in Colorado would be the answer and started working for the government. But he was still alone and in agony. He left the government job and was back to nothing.
God brought the two veterans in Colorado, Stevi and Jacob, together and they decided to do life together, including Stevi’s Daughter. However, stability was still foreign to both.
Eventually, Stevi and Jacob wanted more than couch surfing and homelessness. They needed help and called everywhere in town with no response. That’s when Google led them to The Salvation Army’s Veteran Programs.
“Within days of contacting The Salvation Army, we were on our way to finding housing,” said Jacob.
The Salvation Army Supportive Services for Veteran Families helped Stevi and Jacob restart to their lives. The program provided a deposit and the first month’s rent to kick start their new beginning.
“We both work. So, it wasn’t an issue whether we could make money and pay the bills… we just needed help to get us going. We’re so happy for the assistance that allowed us to get back into a home. Thank You Salvation Army,” Stevi and Jacob said gratefully as they shared their story with us.
A new home and a new life is all they wanted and received because of the SSVF program. They have hope for a future. Stevi is pursuing her lifelong dream of going to school and becoming a chef.
“My mom and grandma loved to cook… when I cook, I think of them. So, I want to be a chef," Stevi said hopefully.
As for Jacob, his dream is simple. “I just want to be happy… that’s my dream. It’s for all of us… to figure out what we are truly meant to be here for… which is to love each other.”
Has The Salvation Army Impacted you in a positive way? Do you have a story to tell? Reach out to Hannah at Hannah.harris@usw.salvationarmy.org to get your story told.