27/04/2026
In this post, we share the stories of three people we met during two days of training at St John’s Church. For reasons of confidentiality, we have changed their names in order to protect their anonymity.
Three different lives, yet one shared reality: hardship, loss, and a daily struggle for survival. Behind each journey lie precarity, isolation, overwhelming responsibility, and addiction. And yet, each of them, in their own way, continues to stand and to hold on to hope for a better future.
John once believed he could build a stable life after finding a job and becoming independent. But the loss of his employment changed everything. With no income and rejected by his family, he found himself alone, without housing or support. Gradually, his precarious situation led him to drugs. Today, he survives day by day, searching for food and trying to hold on to a fragile sense of hope. His goal remains simple but vital: to recover official identification so he can work again and rebuild his life.
Myriam, 17 years old, has been raising her younger brother alone for four years. To meet their needs, she has had to work while continuing her studies. But faced with an impossible choice between education and survival, she was forced to leave school. Despite this, she continues to fight for both of them. Her dream remains unchanged: to return to education, earn a diploma, and become a psychologist in order to help others.
Marie has seen her life unravel through a series of losses. She lost both of her children within a few years, and later her father became seriously ill. Overwhelmed by grief, she turned to drugs as a way to escape her suffering. Today, she is trying to rebuild herself, stop using drugs, and regain stability in order to begin living again.
These three stories, marked by loss and precarity, all reflect the same quiet strength: the will to hope, and to rebuild despite adversity 🫶🙏🏻