We often use the word wholeness to describe a way of life that is free from addiction—a life where all aspects of a person’s being—mind, body, and spirit—are aligned with a person’s deepest values, purpose, and passions, where a person is complete in Christ, living independently. But living this way does not mean being free of difficulties. The journey to wholeness can be treacherous, littered with obstacles and landmines, as it was for Herlinda. 

Herlinda’s Journey to Wholeness

“I love you mom, but you can’t stay here”

Herlinda spent most of her life trapped in the cycle of addiction, a struggle that pulled her in and out of prison, leaving her struggling to find true freedom. When she was released in December of 2023, she moved in with her daughter, determined to stay sober. To keep herself from falling back into the trap of pills and heroin that had controlled her life for so long, Herlinda relied on methadone as a lifeline.

Her daughter pleaded with her repeatedly to get help, to break free from addiction. But Herlinda, terrified of giving up her daily dose of methadone, promised she would stay clean using that alone—vowing that her daughter’s home would remain free of drugs.

Yet, one day, while walking home, a man handed her blues—a synthetic form of oxycontin laced with fentanyl that’s both dangerous and highly addictive. Without thinking about it, Herlinda slipped it into her jacket pocket.

A few days later, Herlinda found the pill she had almost forgotten about. And after her daughter left for the day with the kids, Herlinda took the pill.

“By the grace of God, my daughter forgot something and came home to find me in the backyard. Unresponsive.”

Thinking quickly, her daughter raced to grab a Narcan.

It saved Herlinda’s life.

But her daughter had reached her limit. As soon as Herlinda recovered, her daughter pulled her aside. “Mom,” she said, “you need help… I love you, but you can’t stay here anymore.”

Heartbroken, Herlinda grabbed everything she owned and boarded a bus. She rode aimlessly through town, drowning in self-pity. As the bus traveled Palo Verde Road, she saw the sign for Gospel Rescue Mission. At that moment, Herlinda heard God’s voice. “Get off the bus so you can know who I am.”

Herlinda made her way to the Center of Opportunity. It was late in the day, and the shelter was full. Still, she was given emergency shelter because Operation Deep Freeze was in effect.

“I was given brand new clothes, new shoes, and new pants. I took a hot shower, and when I got out, I felt like a new person.”

For Herlinda, stepping off that bus was the beginning of a journey—not just of recovery from addiction but of overcoming the many barriers in her life, including easing off her methadone dependence as well as facing the mountain of legal challenges that had seemed impossible to overcome.

Herlinda had been living with nearly $9,500 in court fines across ten cases. These weren’t just numbers on a page. Each fine represented a moment of pain—a poor decision made in desperation and a step further from freedom.

The Legal Barriers to Wholeness

While many of us can handle a speeding ticket or a minor legal infraction, for those battling addiction and homelessness, the fines can stack up and snowball over time. Missed court dates result in arrest warrants. Unpaid fines lead to added fees. The mountain of debt soon becomes another obstacle to escaping homelessness.

Herlinda’s story mirrors many who come to Gospel Rescue Mission. Fortunately, Gospel Rescue Mission has a unique partnership with the Christian Legal Society of Tucson, a group of dedicated attorneys who volunteer their time to help people like Herlinda. These lawyers provide legal clinics, advocate in court, and help individuals resolve their cases through the Homeless Court system.

Jim Richardson, Coordinator of the Legal Recovery Program, has been helping with this needed program for nearly twenty years.

“We give people hope and a plan. We tell them it’s our job to come up with the plan forward, so they can focus on their recovery.”

The Homeless Court provides a compassionate, grace-based alternative to traditional courts. Instead of simply punishing individuals for their offenses, the judges work closely with GRM and the legal team to offer solutions, such as using community service hours earned at GRM to pay off fines. For Herlinda, her hard work in the recovery program and the time spent in life skills classes and AA meetings contributed to reducing her fines.

“Prayer and understanding we are all sinners, we’ve all made mistakes is so important to the work we do. When you hear their stories, you recognize but for the grace of God my life went a different direction, but if I had missed a couple of paychecks, or had a different family, I could’ve been homeless too.” – Jim Richardson

Over several months, Herlinda’s legal situation began to change. Through the work of GRM’s legal team and the support of compassionate judges, she could close all of her cases. The $9,443.69 in fines were reduced to just $62, which she could finally pay off, lifting the weight that had kept her trapped in the system for so long.

“I was shaking going to court but when the judge said just $62 I wondered—‘am I dreaming? Is this real?’ Years of burdens were gone…just like that!” – Herlinda

The Christian Legal Society of Tucson provides free legal services to guests at GRM. The Tucson chapter is volunteer-based and includes one paralegal and four attorneys. We are deeply grateful for their support and compassion. Their efforts allow hundreds of our guests, like Herlinda, to walk free in their new life with Christ Jesus.

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.” – Colossians 2:13-14