From a life of brokenness to a life of love: A Celebrating Families story 

Mira still remembers the life she once lived — a life she does not want her children to follow. 

At 42 years old, the mother speaks honestly about her past. She does not hide the hard parts of her story. She talks about them because she knows how far she has come. 

“It all started when I was 13 years old,” Mira recalls. “I was into substance use, taking cigarettes, and drinking alcohol.” 

She says friends pulled her into that life. 

“One of the influences on me was my friends. Really, the bad peer influence. After classes, we would go with friends to drink, smoke, and use substance.”

But Mira’s story of struggle started long before that. 

When she was just 14 years old, Mira became pregnant by her classmate. 

“We met in school, and when my parents found out, they had us married,” she says. “At that age, I already had one child.” 

She was still a teen herself, but suddenly she had to become a mother. 

Life moved fast. Responsibilities came early. And like many young mothers carrying pain and pressure, Mira found herself making choices she would later regret. 

But even in those difficult years, one thing stayed in her heart: her children. 

“I realized that what I was doing was not good, especially because I already had children,” Mira says. “I was afraid that when my children grow up, they might do the same things I did.” 

That fear became a turning point. 

She stopped. 

But life tested her again. 

When her first husband died, Mira became a widow. Grief weighed heavily on her, and she returned to smoking and drinking. 

“When I became a widow and my husband passed away, I went back to my bad habits like taking cigarettes and drinking alcohol because it somehow relieved the pain…” she says. 

Later, when she married again, she made another decision. 

“I stopped completely and focused on raising my children.” 

That choice came from a mother’s love, and from a deep regret that still moves her to tears. 

“As a mother, one of my regrets is that I was not able to finish my education,” Mira says. “Sometimes I can only cry thinking about it.” 

That is why Mira dreams differently for her children. 

One wants to become a police officer. Another wants to become a teacher. 

“My dream for them is that they will grow up respectful and have good jobs,” she says. “For me, education is important so they will not experience the kind of hardship I experienced.” 

Mira does not preach to her children about her past. Instead, she teaches them through what she has learned. 

“I would rather spend money on rice than buy cigarettes,” she says. 

It is a simple line, but it says everything about who Mira is today. 

A mother who once spent on harmful habits now chooses food for her family. A woman who once felt lost now thinks first about her children’s future. 

Still, change did not happen alone. 

Through World Vision’s Child Sponsorship program, where her child is part of, Mira also joined Celebrating Families, a faith-based program that helps parents and caregivers reflect on their past and strengthen relationships at home. As part of World Vision’s Spiritual Nurture of Children framework, CF supports families to grow in hope, healing, and connection so children can experience God’s love and thrive holistically.  

And for Mira, something began to shift. 

“This helped me process myself and truly gave up these bad habits,” she says. 

In the workshops, Mira revisited painful memories from her childhood and past experiences. She reflected on how those experiences shaped the way she raised her children. 

“Through this process, and through learning from Bible teachings, I became more aware, more respectful, and more intentional as a mother,” she says. 

She learned about positive parenting like how to manage conflicts, communicate better, and build peace at home. 

“I understood that misunderstandings can happen in families, but there are ways to overcome them.” 

For Mark Gil Elnar, World Vision Program Officer, this is exactly what Celebrating Families hopes to do. 

“Celebrating Families is designed to strengthen families and improve child well-being,” Marky explains. “Through simple, interactive activities, parents reflect on their past and understand how their experiences influence their parenting today.” 

The program teaches values like love, respect, and forgiveness. It helps families learn how to overcome conflicts and build positive relationships. 

“We believe that when families are strong, children are empowered to grow, to thrive, and to feel safe in a loving and supportive environment,” Marky says. 

Mira is living proof of that transformation. 

“I became more focused on my children and on building a better relationship with them,” Mira says. “I am very thankful to World Vision because they helped my family and my children. They have helped us a lot.” 

Mira’s story is not just about leaving behind bad habits. 

It is about a mother who faced her past and chose a different future. 

It is about a woman who carried regret, grief, and hardship, but refused to let those define her children’s lives. 

She still carries the memory of what was. 

But today, Mira carries something stronger: hope. 

And in her home, that hope now looks like a mother choosing love, respect, and a better future for the children she holds close.