Dream Center Foster Youth Home | Joseph Merchain
At the age of five, I was experiencing sexual abuse for about three consecutive years. I didn't know my parents and never had a stable home. When I hit the age of 10, I started being active in sports and going out and exploring so I could stay occupied, and it all became my positive outlet. I saved up for two years and ended up having $3,000, which I donated to breast cancer. I've never made an excuse for myself. I had to stop feeling sorry for myself at 11 years old, and I believe it’s your perspective of certain situations that’ll either make or break you. I was homeless for five months before I found out about the Dream Center. I had enrolled in college on August 26, 2019, and it was the best decision I've made thus far. My mentor Will Syms runs A2MEND (The African American Male Education Network Development) and knew I was struggling with finding housing and he led me to the Dream Center.
I feel I’m ten million times more focused on school and graduating with a 4.0 or higher now. I don't have to stress about finding a place to sleep throughout the day or about saving up money, and now I can go to church. Since living here, I feel like I’m slowly gaining a relationship with God, which is also why I’m here. I still do chores, as we’re required to do which is my positive outlet, and this place is allowing me to mature and focus on my goals.
When I graduate from PCC (Pasadena City College), I plan on transferring to Clark Atlanta University and getting my BA in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing. It’s my dream to be the marketing manager one day for Samsung or Apple. I also have a few other dreams like opening up small businesses, nail salons and barbershops. I would also love to start my own non-profit organization and become a homeowner. I would turn my home into a foster home, to beat the odds. These are my goals and I will not stop until they become achievements. I'm a man on a mission.
I love what the Dream Center is doing. They have a very different story and I’m happy to be here. Life is good.
Keep it up y'all!
~Joseph Merchain
The Dream Center in Los Angeles is a multi-faceted outreach that Jentezen Franklin Media Ministries proudly supports each and every month, and has for over a decade. With the continued support of our friends and partners, together, we are able to contribute to housing, food, educational opportunities, addiction recovery, and so much more for emancipated teens, Veterans, homeless, and those desperate for help but with no where else to turn. Most importantly—we're able to share the message of Jesus Christ to each and every one of them! Today we share a testimony from one of the young men, Joseph, in the Foster Youth program at the Dream Center.
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