This month meet Rebuild member Dominique Newton: Dominique is preparing to begin her first year of college classes next week. She is already a strong example and friend to so many, and we’re looking forward to watching how God continues to grow her as a leader!
Recently, after eight years living with my mother in Shreveport, my siblings and I moved back to New Orleans to live with our father. My sister and I were enrolled into G.W. Carver Collegiate Academy, and my younger siblings also began school. I began to fit in with the school environment really quickly and soon gained many friends. I joined extracurricular activities, but I couldn’t help the feeling that something was always missing in my life. I quit the cheer team in the summer of 2015 and I remember thinking, “What am I going to do now?”
My friend soon told me about the position of water girl with the football team. I began helping the team and it was the greatest experience ever! Still, I felt like something was missing. That’s when I met Coach Rich. I had seen him around the school and even heard kids say he was a pastor. He would ask me every day if I wanted to come to his community group meeting but I declined over and over. In the past, my family had bad experiences with churches that only cared about your attire and how much money you put in the collection plate. However his determination soon made me cave in because he kept inviting me. I decided to go, but only if my sister came along.
Once I started attending Rebuild‘s group meetings, I couldn’t stop. The word I heard that first night gave me chills. It’s like Coach knew exactly what was going on in my life. They didn’t try to force belief on me. It just started to develop as we read and discussed the Bible. Wednesday became the only day I felt like I could open up to others and express my feelings. Soon enough my sister and I began to invite more kids from school. Some of our friends and even our little brother, now a freshman at Carver, began attending with us each week.
I went through more challenges in my senior year than I ever had before. I lost some friends, found out I wasn’t able to attend my dream college, and even had conflict within my family. Through all of this, I still grew stronger! By joining Rebuild, I have a community of people to love and care about me and my relationship with God. I’m so happy I listened to that voice of God that told me to trust that man at school who always was talking about Jesus. For the first time in a long time I feel like I have found that missing piece in my life.
