Woman Escapes the "Tired Road" of Addiction 

By Laura Reinhardt

December 2007
New York – US Programs

Terri Lloyd has struggled with addiction for most of her life. She learned the lifestyle from her alcoholic mother. “I kind of just followed right along,” she says. By the age of 24, Terri was fully ensconced in the addict's life. “It’s a tired road—a tired, hard road,” she says.

Even being temporarily paralyzed from the neck down due to Guillain-Barré syndrome did not deter her from that lifestyle. “I was still out there running full force as soon as I was able to get myself from a laying position to a sitting position,” she says.

Finally in 1999, she recalls, “I was tired.” Released from jail where she had gotten involved in a Christian ministry, she realized that she needed to change her environment to stay sober. The ministry introduced her to New Life for Girls—a Christian recovery program for female addicts.

New Life for Girls—a World Vision partner—turned Terri's life around. “It teaches you to not have the same mindset. You have a new hope now. You have a future.” She completed the program in 2002 then began to work with New Life for Girls that same year. This was the first time in her adult life that she had held a job.

Terri, now 42, says the ministry was very patient with her, allowing her the time she needed to get through the program. “It takes time—some more than others. I’m one of the ‘more than others’ to get it,” she laughs. “It’s like being in a big family of encouragement. You know what I mean? They’re a bunch of cheerleaders out there.”

Terri, along with other New Life women, often volunteers at World Vision’s facility in the Bronx—helping sort clothing donations. On this day, she and the other women are picking out clothing for themselves. Terri looks for shirts to go with some pants that her 85-year-old grandmother recently gave her. That visit was the first time Terri had seen family members in years. She plans to wear the new items she is picking out today for the next month’s family visit.

She says of the clothes, “I think it’s wonderful that they have organizations like this that [donate.] It’s really a nice thing. ” Terri describes World Vision as “an awesome 'meet-your-needs' ministry for every kind of need from households to schools to homeless. It's helpful.” She laughs, “I think it’s great. Keep it coming. Medium [sizes] too, please!”