An Unexpected Path to Peace
Susan Yea’s first opportunity to serve in San Diego was at Generate Hope’s transitional home for survivors of sex trafficking. To her surprise, that morning of mundane yard work led to pivotal connections in her new home city, a transformed perspective on generosity and service, and even a deeper sense of peace.
When she quit her stressful job in Miami as a tax and estate planning attorney to move to San Diego during the pandemic in order to be closer to family, Susan recognized that she needed a change. “I felt empty and I felt directionless even though on the outside, I had it all. All my focus, everything I did, was to make sure I did well in my career,” she said.
“I thought once I have enough funds, once I’m there in a place that will help people, then I will. And I realized it’s ironic. It’s actually in the place where I had the least, the least financially, is when I started serving the most.” At the most unexpected time, when she was unemployed, she began giving monthly to Hope for San Diego as a Hope Partner.
Pivotal Connections
That morning at Generate Hope, Susan connected with folks from Covenant Church, a partner of Hope for San Diego, and has since made that her church home. The staff at Generate Hope referred her with Free to Thrive, where she now provides pro bono services to sex trafficking victims, helping them vacate their criminal records for crimes resulting from their trafficking.
Recently, volunteering at We See You during 40 Days of Service, she returned home buzzing with excitement. “I was physically tingling because it was such a rush! The environment was so positive and the people were so amazing,” she said. “I felt like I was really in it… helping and making a difference.” There, she met Theresa, who shared her story of sleeping on the streets, and finding solace at We See You.
“Just 18 months ago, this woman was homeless and you’d never guess it by looking at her,” Susan says. She found the Lord and We See You, and is completely transformed and back serving others. “It’s so beautiful. God uses the broken to heal the same kind of brokenness.”
That morning at Generate Hope, God introduced Susan to people who would help in the healing of her own brokenness. “I realized I had never really opened myself up to what God’s plans might be,” she said. Stepping into a new life in San Diego felt like the first time. “I always thought the scariest thing would be to leave it up to somebody else, but He’s already in control. And then to really trust in Him, I feel the most peace I’ve ever felt.”
If you are interested in becoming a Hope Partner, we invite you to sign up with a gift of any amount. Your monthly gift sustains our work throughout the year in serving trafficked women and other vulnerable populations.