Hello, my name is Amber Reynoso. My husband's name is Joel Reynoso. We both have three beautiful children together Ariah 14 years old, Damian 11 years old, and Serenity 10 years old. This is a testimony of our success at MELA Counseling Services Center. I will be telling the story of our testimony.
Yes of course our story begins with us having sickness and a drug addiction problem, and like any other parent/ person that has this sickness, lost everything they gained for their family or themself. Yes, life had begun to be unmanageable for my husband and me. We did have everything: the house, a car, our kids, each other, money, a job, etc. until 2017 someone called DCFS on us and made allegations that we were neglectful, we were endangering our children, that we were on drugs, etc.
Yes, I was furious because only the drug part was true, I thought I was ok, that I was never going to get caught, but I did. DCFS had us drug test for them which at that time I was the only one that had the sickness, so I tested positive for meth, my husband came out negative he did not know that I was using it at that time, I kept it from him, he was so upset at me he was so disappointed at me. Now I was so mad at the fact that I felt so violated that I went into a deep depression because they removed my children from me, so I went more into drugs which led to me losing my house, my car, my job, my husband, having no money I mean we lost everything. For about three years, DCFS had my husband and I do lots of Drug classes, parenting, random drug testing, individual counseling, and much more, . All because of my action, I could honestly say this experience is very traumatic for us. We had our share of very bad workers. They made our lives a living hell and told us that we would NEVER get our baby's back, (FYI) “Not all workers are the same. “There are really cool ones but they gave us hell only because we were not willing to let them help us”. We thought it was their fault and did not really want to see the bigger picture that it was us, not them. We were not willing to surrender and admit there was a problem with us. We were in denial. We were fighting our case for about three years before they terminated and closed it in 2019 before the pandemic started. Even though we completed everything they were asking for and got all our certificates and have been clean and SOBER, they had the nerve to close it anyways. We were so devastated. I speak for myself on this one. I felt like I was defeated. All my hard work went down the drain. It was all a waste of time. After that, I really was going to give up then, my husband got fed up with me because I was in a very deep depression, “and he decide that's it, you're giving up. Get dressed and let’s go searching for what we can do". We are not giving up on our kids. “God never gave up on us so why are you giving up”. So, that's what I did. I got up, and we went. It was the best thing that we could have ever done because we had found what we were looking for and they told us we have to take all the classes again and do a 388-petition paper so our children may be returned to us. So that's what we did through the whole pandemic of 2020.
It did not stop us, so we entered MELA Counseling Services Center. They showed us what a true sobriety family feels like, and not only did they show us but they provided us with the tools. They also encouraged us to be the best person we are, and they accepted us with wide-open arms, and they never judged us. They always had someone to talk to you if you needed to talk and they pointed us in the right direction that we needed. For the time we have been at MELA, we have made a new family with everyone, and they are a big support system in our life. If it was not for them to have our back through good and very bad times to the fullest, and give me that extra push, I probably would have not been able to have my kids in my care. Yes, I said in my care. With their support and our hard work, we got our babies back as of October 12, 2021. I thank GOD for allowing us to have another chance and giving us this amazing testimony on how we were without our kids and how bad we were and showing us faith and how to strive for what we want and putting the right people in our life such as MELA. They are a new forever family and there is nothing better than this, AMEN. If we can do it, you can too. You just must have an open mind and open heart and accept the wrongdoing and self-evaluate yourself and believe you can do it for your family and your kids. You are all they have, they have no one else.Thank you for reading this testimony. I pray for the person that is reading this. If you or your family needs help, that you help them, and send them the help they need.AMEN AND GOD BLESS…