After almost committing suicide on top of Lighthouse Mission, the same woman now dreams of working there.
Charlotte Lathlin, a recent graduate of Adult and Teen Challenge, says that fighting her addictions was a tough journey, but discovered Jesus in the process.
"I had never experienced love in this type of way. You can have a worldly love, but it is never going to be a love like this," Lathlin says about her relationship with Jesus.
Even though Lathlin says she previously had a good job, she was overcome by a meth addiction that resulted in her losing the position complicating things further for her.
Last fall, Laphlin made a "risky move" that changed her life.
"I had just got out of jail and was released to the streets and ended up relapsing," Lathlin says. "I do not remember wanting to kill myself, but it was definitely a very risky move."
In September of 2019, Lathlin was high, standing on top of Lighthouse Mission, a Christian soup kitchen located in Point Douglas, ready to take her own life. Lathlin does not remember all that happened that day, but Adult and Teen Challenge's Steve Paulson knows the story well.
Paulson says that 13 months ago, a young woman, Lathlin, climbed on top of Lighthouse Mission. He says while on top of the building, ready to commit suicide, a former ATC grad and now an employee at Lighthouse Mission joined Lathlin, and told her his story. Lathlin was then convinced to come back down.
Lathlin says that she does not remember much from that day.
"I remember after that, just struggling with my addiction to get sober, the only possible way was going to jail and that was my way out. I got myself into trouble," she says. After going to jail, Lathlin says she was given two recovery choices and chose ATC. "Here I am at Teen Challenge right now, from the top of the lighthouse to working in a thrift store."
Lathlin says the program was difficult in a particular way for her.
"It was not really hard for cravings... it was an adjustment to the strict schedule that they had."
She says that following a God-based program was also new to her, as she had not grown up in a Christian home.
"Having this sort of programming was uplifting, encouraging, it has helped me grow a lot, and grow a lot in my relationship with Jesus."
"It feels like I am not alone and it feels like I can rely on someone that is not going to let me down.
Lathlin recently graduated from the ATC program and will be spending more time with ATC in another program. Within a year, she hopes to give back to her community.
Lathlin's goal is to help others facing the same situations she overcame.
"I see the person that is standing before me instead of a person that is homeless and lost. That is what I was, and there were people at the lighthouse that did help me. They prayed for me."
Lathlin now wants to return the favour. The graduate hopes to one day work inside the building she once stood on top of.
Lathlin hopes that soon she will be able to help people who are in simular situations as she once was at Lighthouse Mission.
"I think that a career like something that is probably going to make me happy. I am going to find joy in that. I am giving back to my community but I am also helping people start a relationship if they do not have one, with Jesus. That is incredible."