Nikkia Jelleff

I came to AROH 7 months ago. I had just completed 8 months of intensive treatment for drug addiction. My kids were still in foster care. My husband was still in active addiction. Here I was with nowhere to go and

trying to figure out how to bring my family back together.

When I came to Peggy’s House Rachelle was so welcoming to me. She began encouraging me to join bible study each morning. I was a little hesitant. I mean I had a lot to accomplish and really didn’t have time. (I had a lot to learn.) As I got to know Rachelle I found that her and I had a much similar story than I could have ever imagined. She was very insistent that coming to God changed her life. I began joining bible study regularly and seeing the joy in everyone led me to feeling like I wanted what they have.

The more I started building that relationship with Jesus, the more I felt it, and the more I knew it was real. Not only was this real but this is what I had been missing in my life that led to massive destruction. My husband and I had gone from the family next door to sleeping in a ditch on the bad side of town. Over the course of several years Joe and I were both developing addictions.

My husband ended up in a car accident that left him unable to work for a couple years. As a result, we both threw ourselves much deeper into our substance abuse. Alcohol, methamphetamines, pills. Whatever we could get our hands on. This led to our children being re moved by C.P.S. We lost out home, our vehicles, everything we ever had. We ended up being placed in a drug court program. After a few months with no progress and continuously failing drug testing, the judge sent me to inpatient treatment. I would spend the next month at the Montana Chemical Dependency Center detoxing and receiving intensive treatment, before returning to Kalispell. I was then sent to the Flathead Women’s Recovery home to continue intensive treatment. It took me seven months to complete the program there. Once I finished there I came to Peggy’s House where I continued and ultimately completed outpatient treatment.

After seven months in A Ray of Hope my life is completely different. My children, who had been in foster care for 14 months, came home to me. They are now able to live with me full time thanks to Peggy’s House and Rachelle. After the kids had come home, my husband saw the kids and coming together and the idea of rebuilding our family no longer seemed so impossible.

He eventually was given a bed in the men’s house and began his road to recovery.

He and I began spending time together in the word with encouragement from Director Dave. Joe and I be gan to reconnect and developed a renewed commitment to each other and we knew God would be the key to our success in our marriage and rebuilding our family. Which then led to our decision to devote our lives to Jesus. Joe and I along with two of our children were baptized this month and it was truly amazing.

Last week I officially graduated the drug court program. As part of my graduation of the program my case with Child and Family Services and all court proceeding have been dismissed.

We now have full custody of our children back. My whole family is reunited and eager to see what lies ahead for us, as we continue to build our new life walking with Jesus. Praise God who through AROH reunited my family. There aren’t words to describe the blessing AROH and everyone involved in this ministry has been and continues to be for my family. Thank you so much to Rachelle, Chris, Dave, and everyone else who helped make this all possible.