11/30/2011
How We've Helped: The Story of Karen Sweeney
Just like many others, Karen Sweeney had big goals about what life was going to bring her. She believed she was destined for something great; bigger than life. All of these dreams were compromised in 1992 when she began to experiment with ma*****na and crack co***ne. Like many do, she became very addicted. She was unable to kick the drugs out as easily as she did her family and friends. Her whole world began to crumble around her, leaving her abandoned with no one to turn to. Sweeney lost custody of her 9-year-old son, Jared after hitting rock bottom.However, something life altering happened to Karen Sweeney that gave her the chance to really open her eyes to everything she had lost. In October of 2000, Karen was in a car accident that left her in a coma for five days. The accident could have left her dead, and was said to be a miracle that she survived. However, she wasn’t off the hook yet because police later found drugs in her car that definitely could have contributed to the accident. This left her to serve three months in Tidewater Women’s Detention Center where she her eyes were opened to the fact that she needed help. In February of 2001 she reached out to Union Mission Ministries for help through the “Second Chance Program”. She also began attending church regularly and said that she was now being “drawn to the Lord” more than ever before. Sweeney was started to see what life really had to offer and the salvation of God, and knew she wanted her son back, and her life back. However, this would prove to be difficult because to do so, she would need a job, apartment, and surgery for her leg that was injured in the surgery; none of which she had. With her new found faith she put everything she had forward and in June 2001 received the surgery she needed, and recommendation to social services to get her son back. From generous donations, Union Mission Ministries was able to get Karen a furnished apartment so her and her son could start life over. She was able to receive custody of her son on November 28th, and now has redirected her life and is a counselor for her church.
