Testimonial #1
I’m a recovering addict whose life centered into drugs and alcohol. Before I came into Malama, 2 years ago, I got introduced to ice, years before that I was doing coke and drinking really heavy. When I became pregnant to my daughter and I sill knew that I was carrying her within me for nine months I kept on smoking and smoking and didn’t care of what I was putting her through, or what the consequences would’ve been.
The very day that me and my family became homeless, we were staying in our car for a year in a half, finding ways to make money when we didn’t have any to get more drugs and to survive, I can’t believe that all the bad and dangerous situations I was putting my son into, going places where it wasn’t meant for him to be, doing things with him around and not realizing that at his age he understands, the drugs took me so deep that, that very first day CPS took my daughter that’s when I realize I had a drug problem, I needed help badly that’s when CPS referred me to get help I need so they referred me to Malama. I called Malama and made an appointment to meet with them a couple of days after I got out of the hospital, before I started TLP I was coming to babysafe for the first two weeks, then TLP called and made an appointment to get into treatment, on the third week of that month I moved into TLP and got the help to find myself. Malama has taught me o much things that I never realized what it was like when I was using. Thanks Malama for all the things that they’ve done for me helping me to get my daughter back and helping me to find myself again. Thanks again Malama sooo very much!

Testimonial #2
I’d just like to thank every one that is here today, to celebrate my graduation with me, as well as the others who have helped me reach my goals that could not make it here today I send out many blessings to them.
I’d just like to say a few things today on how the Malama program has helped me stand up for who I really am, deep down inside that I have hidden for along time, many hears ago when I first started using drugs and alcohol, I thought it was okay to drink and drug, because I seen my family doing it growing up from when I was just a kid maybe if I try I would feel good to then when I got hooked on the drinking and drugging I could not stop it was more like my comfort zone I’d run to it not dwelling the consquense of how it was affecting my mind, body, soul, then as years went by I started doing more harder drugs, and started getting into dangerous situations, with myself as well as others who I’ve hung around with in my addiction, I was going crazy, and didn’t care about anything and anybody, and also I’ve went though some traumatize things that made me take in harder drugs even more, but now that I made it this far with the help of the staff and clients in my recovery clean and sober, and also helping me through my struggles at the very first couple of months here when I was wanting to leave really bad but you lady’s have held on to me just so I would not fall. Much mahalos and many blessing to all that have made it then possible.

Testimonial #3
Dear staff,
I just wanted to thank you for giving me a second chance to live a better life and to get my daughter back. I appreciate all of your patience and understanding. I am grateful for the clean and sober living environment, a roof over my head and a hot shower. Thank you for guiding me in the right direction when I was trying to go the wrong way. And thank you to the TLP staff for helping me get all my essential needs met. Because of you all I now have a beautiful, bright future ahead of me and am truly grateful.

Testimonial #4
I started using drugs when I was 37 years old. I was living in Lahaina in a 3 bedroom unit I was so caught up in the Addiction, Every dollar I had went to drugs. I wasn’t able to pay rent, I left my kids at home w/ their older sister. I ran away w/ my youngest daughters father and left all of them. I wasn’t thinking at the time I was only thinking about myself. Then my kids got tooken away from CPS and still I wasn’t ready to change my life I was still using. After a while I realized I had to change and put myself into treatment so I went to Aloha House and I learned a lot. I learned how to love and respect myself, be honest.

Testimonial #5
I am 30 yrs. Old and originally from the big island. I have kids ages ranging from 8 to 11 months. I started using ice when I was 21 yrs old and that was the beginning of my heart ache. At age 21 I gave birth to my oldest daughter at age 23 I have birth to my 1 boy whom had passed away due to a pit-bull attack on the big island. From that day on I have never stopped smoking ice. Since then I got pregnant 3 more time during my prgnancys I smoked ice and could not stop. The reason I smoked was cause I couldn’t stand the fact that I had lost my son and didn’t know how to cope with it and besides no one new how to help me. During those times I have gotten married and shortly after that my husband had gone to Iraq cause he was in the national guard. From the time he had gone my world turned up side down and inside out. Luana turned into Lucifer. I couldn’t take care of my kids and people came in and out of my place. I had almost gotten raided. Cops kept coming. Then I started fulling around behind my husband’s back with my neighbor whom was a dealer and he was married also. My life was revolved around him and his dope. I didn’t care about any thing or anyone. My husband ended up coming home for Christmas vacation for two weeks. By him coming home supposed to have made me a happy wife but instead I was wishing for him to leave just so that I could go back smoking dope. About a week after my husband going back my kids got taken away. I had signed over temporary custody to my in laws. I ended up moving and got more into the drug scene. My world revolved around drugs and men.
I finally decided to turn myself into a treatment center when I was 5 months pregnant. I didn’t stay there long I ended up running away.
I been on the run for about 3 months. I stayed clean and sober cause I new that if I turn myself backing they were gonna take an U.A. I had gone into labor 1 month early. I only had an hour with my daughter until the nurses came and took her from me. The next day CPS and police came into my room and told me that my daughter was gonna be placed into the CPS custody. My sister ended up being a foster parent for my daughter. 3 days after I gave birth I flew up here to Aloha House. I stayed in Aloha House for 3 months untill I got into Malama. Being at Aloha House I had to deal with the loss of my son and admitting to my self that I was an addict.
Coming into Malama had really changed my whole aspects in life. I’ve tried my best to not show everyone here that I don’t need nobodys help and that I can do it all on my own. But there is where I went wrong. In my life I’ve never had guidance and I’ve never had people that had so much faith in me that I came into Malama. Malama thought me that its ok to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. Malama has given me that chance to be a responsible and worthy mother that I am. Malama has also helped me in a way that no one else did and that’s when I lost my oldest daughter while being here in Malama. Malama had given me the support that not even my own blood relatives could. They had also told me to never give and keep on moving forward. And they always told me to trust the process and to always believe in them and that’s what I did.
Thanks to the Malama ohana I am a better person today then I ever was before.

Testimonial #6
I’m going to start by saying that I don’t remember much of my childhood but the things I do remember is real sad. I have 2 brothers and 1 sister. My oldest brother was killed by getting run over by a car at 41/2 years old. That’s when my mom and did started their addiction all over again and our family fell apart. The only thing I remember before my parents abandoned me and my brother is me taking care of my baby brother while my mom and dad did their drugs. My mom then left when I 4 years old. I was left with unanswer questions. My brother and I were left with our grandmother on his dads side. She always made sure that we had clothes on our backs, food on the table, and a roof over our head. She was very abusive to me and not my brother. I was always getting beat up for all brothers wrongs and would always tell me that I was just like my mom and would be good for nothing. She also would tell me that my mom didn’t love me, care about me. I then started rebelling and went to live with my mom’s mother which I did really well except I always just to come home and have my mom be there for once. That’s how my image then was abandoned little girl, lost, depressed and lonely. I started then drinking at age 10 with my cousins and smoking weed at age 11. I was able to hide it until I was 12-1/2 and that when my grandma caught me smoking weed and sent me here to live with my mom and that’s when my life fell apart. My mom and step-dad went to jail for heroin and then again I was abandoned except this time with my little sister. We got put in CPS where then I had to give my little sister to her grandma and eventually after that I stared running away and smoking ice. That’s when all the chaos started. I would smoke so I didn’t have to fill the feelings of being unwanted, unloved, lost, abandoned, lonely. Which then lead me to stealing, lying, cheating and on the road of destruction. All I wanted was a normal family with love, comfort and support. I still today strive for this from my mom and haven’t got it. Since I came to treatment I have inherit a new family that loves me when I’m down and supports me in any way they can. Malama has gave me the tools to be independent and cope with life on its own terms. I was able to be included in a family I never had and strived to have growing up. I was also able to show my real self with out being judged. I would like to thank Malama, for believing in me and teaching me a whole new outlook on life.

Testimonial #7
I’d like to start this testimony off first by thanking Malama staff, Corrine and all my peers. I love and appreciate you all!! Here in treatment I have developed a love for myself that wasn’t easy. I also have self-respect and I value and cherish what I have because it feels good, it feels right. I came to Malama from jail. Jail was my bottom, no way out, no where to hide, no one to lie and manipulate. Jail is where I found God. Jail is where I found myself and jail is where I found hope and through my honesty and determination I got this far and it doesn’t end here for me either. But this is big for me. I have 10 months clean from alcohol, drugs, tobacco and oh, sex!!
I used this bottom as an opportunity to get well for I knew if I’d go back out and use I’d probably would’ve tried to take my life, see my pain and past runs deep. I have put myself through so much I’ve cheated, I’ve lied, I’ve manipulated, I sold my body, I sold other womans body. I was a prostitute. I sold drugs. I slept with so much men I can’t count. I can’t remember. I was physically, sexually, emotionally and mentally abused. I was so wrong. I’ve done a lot of wrong. I left my husband, my kids, my family. I hurt all the people who loved me and I punished myself for that by staying in my sickness, my addiction. But in treatment I have learned communication, coping skills, about my anger, forgiveness and fear. I have learned so much and gained so much. I have moved forward in spite of what has happened.
I know that there is a lot of things ahead of me that I need to deal with. Today I can. I am not afraid and fragile as I was. Today I know what is priorities and responsibilities.
Today I love and respect myself. I care about me and what happens to me, and I know that my disease of addiction will never go away. So I have learned and will continue everyday to stay aware and committed to my recovery, doing just I need to to stay safe, stay sober. I am grateful to everyone who has been a part of my program here at Malama and this is not the end for me. This is another step forward and I am proud of myself. I will be because of my faith and inspiration to my mother and brother who are active in their addiction as well as anyone else I inspire. I love being a mother. I love being me. I love being everything I can be. I can walk with my head up continuing to go forward because today I believe in myself and thank you all for believing in me!

Testimonial #8
To whom that reads this letter
What Malama did for me is that they help me through so much things.
Malama is a wonderful place, for me I’ve been in Malama from April and I was not a very happy camper, so I didn’t comeback, but what I’ve noticed is that Malama has never given up on me
I’ve been in and out of Malama for 8 months. Malama tried so very hard to get me into (TLP) Therapitical Living and I refused to come, but just then I was stranded. I didn’t have nowhere to go, nowhere to live, so I called Malama and asked if they had openings for me and they told me yes, so I was very happy and I’ve moved in.
Being in Malama is not easy, but they’ve helped so very much, they showed me how to be honest, open and willing to give up whats bothered me so much, I’ve given them such a hard time, but then I got over it and got very happy but confused.
Malama helped me find myself that I known that I had it, but I just didn’t know how to use it, for instance they help me get into school, to get my GED, they help me get my drivers permit, and so I’ve even got my visits with my children, I even had the chance to have my daughter to live with me but I refused to have her live with me I had my reasons that’s why.
Malama has wonderful ladies, that love me so much, they get me through me recovery, my clean date is 6 months clean. But I’m really thankful, grateful for being in Malama and I’m going to miss this place so very much, because they helped me. I’m really going to miss the P.A.’s they done a lot too, they helped me to be calm and happy with myself and to especially love myself and my lady friends that lived with me in Malama.
So who ever reading this letter, just don’t give up even if you having a bad day, because Malama is a very wonderful place and it’s a lot more Freedom and Peaceful.
To all the staffs thank you for having me live here and for loving me, and to all the PA’s thank you for being there for me when I needed a friend to talk to and someone to tell my problems, and when I get my ups and downs. Much Mahalo.

Testimonial #9
Dear Malama,
Well I don’t even know where to start because there is so much I’d like to say. I’ll start with saying Thank you for having me here, and my daughter also. There’s been so many good & happy experience here for me. Being here changed my whole life & also gave me a good beginning to accomplish my dreams. The people here are the nicest, softest human beings I have ever met. Even the people I lived with were the first family I have ever experienced. We did everything together. Boy! I’m going to miss it.
Malama thank you for giving me hope, strength & courage without you I wouldn’t have made it out there. But I’d also like to thank the Malama staff & coucelors because you taught me how to succeed & that there is a lot of good gifts out there for me & not giving up to get there.
It kind of makes me look at it like I’m the little toddler just starting to learn how to walk & everytime I fall on my butt, you folks help me get back up & try again. But then now, I know how to walk on my own two feet. Thanks again Malama.

Testimonial #10
I have been on this journey of recovery from November 21, 2000. This is the day that my life changed completely. I was found guilty of ProDang III and was sent to jail with a bail of $10,000. I was unable to post bail so I stayed there for what seemed forever. I was sentenced on January 27th before Judge Raffetto and he handed down a sentence to me of 5 years with a mandatory 1 year imprisonment. My drug choice was crack cocaine. It took total control of my life. At that point I knew that it was either jail or death. This was when I knew that I was going to be incarcerated for at least 1 year and possibly more. I was devastated and I felt so alone. One day sitting in my cell I cried and said “look what happened because of the drugs that you chose to use, you are now in jail for 1-5 years. This was when I turned to God for some help and guidance, I was blessed to have God in my life form that day forward. On February 9th I flew to the Women’s Prison on Oahu and stayed there for 6 months and then returned back to Maui for 4 more months. I did a total of 1 year in prison and I learned a lot. I learned that once was enough and that I was never going back to drugs. I entered Malama Program from MCCC on September 18, 2001 and upon release from MCCC I entered the TLP Program at Malama and finished the 2 more months of treatment that I had. After graduating from Malama Family Recovery Center on January 14, 2002 I entered a new chapter in my life. I went back to college at MCC. Today I am currently in college and working at the school at the Library. I am also working part time at Big Brothers, Big sisters giving back time to the community. I am also in the After-Care program here at Malama and today makes 6 months. I am done with the treatment part but I am on the road of recovery, which is for the rest of my life. Today I choose not to use. I enjoy my life today and I am happy that I went through what I did because if I didn’t I am sure that I wouldn’t be here today. I would like to thank Barb, Jen, Corrine, Steph, Chris, Anita, Lisa, Vanessa, and Carol for all the help in getting better part of my life and I would like to thank God, My family, and my friends for being there for me 100% of the way as I was on this journey of recovery. Today I am happy to report that I have 1 year 8 months and 5 days clean. I did every day one day at a time.
Thank you for being a big part of my life. I will never forget all the sacrifices that the staff at Malama made for me. Mahalo.

Testimonial #11
This for me is the biggest of my mountains that I must climb. When I first came to Malama controlling has always been a big part of my life as I was growing up. I was always in control of all that I did. Down to controlling everyone I hung out with, what drugs we did, how we got to where we went. What it was we were doing. And who it was we did stuff with. I controlled my relationship. The money our household had I would be in control of who had what or how much each had. Anyway today I’m trying my best to not control the situation in my life. And I’m trying my best. And today I know I’m powerless of all of this. And today I will not use cause I can’t control a situation. But all I can control is the action and the results will up to me and the results will up to me by the actions. I do make my action today are for me to give it to God and prey that God give me the strength. Today I ask for God’s will for me. As I entered Malama I had lots of doubts that this program wasn’t what I need. I only came because I was in the early stages of my ninth month. It was Dec. 3 that I moved into TLP. 18 day later I had givin birth to a baby girl 7lb 6oz. 21in. Of the other three children I’ve already had to my amazement she was a whole pound bigger than my biggest child. 5 days after I gave birth I was givin a U.A. and had a positive for Alcohol. Within days of my positive U.A. I was asked to leave TLP and still attend IOP. And first my addict behavior came right back. I must say that our addiction sits in the background just waiting for us to give it a space to get us back in their grasp. And if I forget how powerless I am over my addiction, powerless over trying to control, the only thing I can control is the way I react to any situation. Today I say the serenity prayer 9-10 times daily reminding myself for God to grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the things I can and the biggest part for me is the wisdom to know this difference. Today I have the will to live and know that I don’t need to use. Because there is nothing today for me more important then my sobriety. Today my life is 110% better then it has ever been. But there always be people in the world that have no respect of my sobriety and those people I my stay clear of. Jen is my counselor and I dedicate to her thank for all that she’s done. She is like a birth coach as I have a contraction of anger. She has thought me to breath deep breaths and say everything will be ok. And as I walk through my recovery it as if I’m giving birth to my new self. Just as a baby I must nurse my meeting sober support. Sober people and I must learn to crawl before I start to walk. I’m very grateful for Malama and the tools that have been given to me for me use as my anger creeps up. I can bust into my tool box and get out the tools I need to fix my body. Thank you Malama for the new life all of you have given me. God bless all that read and walk with me through Recovery.

Testimonial #12
I’d just like to thank every one that is here today, to celebrate my graduation with me, as well as the others who have helped me reach my goals that could not make it here today I send out many blessings to them.
I’d just like to say a few things today on how the Malama program has helped me stand up for who I really am, deep down inside that I have hidden for along time, many hears ago when I first started using drugs and alcohol, I thought it was okay to drink and drug, because I seen my family doing it growing up from when I was just a kid maybe if I try I would feel good to then when I got hooked on the drinking and drugging I could not stop it was more like my comfort zone I’d run to it not dwelling the consquense of how it was affecting my mind, body, soul, then as years went by I started doing more harder drugs, and started getting into dangerous situations, with myself as well as others who I’ve hung around with in my addiction, I was going crazy, and didn’t care about anything and anybody, and also I’ve went though some traumatize things that made me take in harder drugs even more, but now that I made it this far with the help of the staff and clients in my recovery clean and sober, and also helping me through my struggles at the very first couple of months here when I was wanting to leave really bad but you lady’s have held on to me just so I would not fall. Much mahalos and many blessing to all that have made it then possible.

Testimonial #13
Dear staff,
I just wanted to thank you for giving me a second chance to live a better life and to get my daughter back. I appreciate all of your patience and understanding. I am grateful for the clean and sober living environment, a roof over my head and a hot shower. Thank you for guiding me in the right direction when I was trying to go the wrong way. And thank you to the TLP staff for helping me get all my essential needs met. Because of you all I now have a beautiful, bright future ahead of me and am truly grateful.

Testimonial #14
My name is _____. I started using drugs when I was 37 years old. I was living in Lahaina in a 3 bedroom unit at _______. I was so caught up in the Addiction, Every dollar I had went to drugs. I wasn’t able to pay rent, I left my kids at home w/ their older sister. I ran away w/ my youngest daughters father and left all of them. I wasn’t thinking at the time I was only thinking about myself. Then my kids got tooken away from CPS and still I wasn’t ready to change my life I was still using. After a while I realized I had to change and put myself into treatment so I went to Aloha House and I learned a lot. I learned how to love and respect myself, be honest.

Testimonial #15
Hi my name _________. I am 30 yrs. Old and originally from the big island. I have kids ages ranging from 8 to 11 months. I started using ice when I was 21 yrs old and that was the beginning of my heart ache. At age 21 I gave birth to my oldest daughter at age 23 I have birth to my 1 boy whom had passed away due to a pit-bull attack on the big island. From that day on I have never stopped smoking ice. Since then I got pregnant 3 more time during my prgnancys I smoked ice and could not stop. The reason I smoked was cause I couldn’t stand the fact that I had lost my son and didn’t know how to cope with it and besides no one new how to help me. During those times I have gotten married and shortly after that my husband had gone to Iraq cause he was in the national guard. From the time he had gone my world turned up side down and inside out. Luana turned into Lucifer. I couldn’t take care of my kids and people came in and out of my place. I had almost gotten raided. Cops kept coming. Then I started fulling around behind my husband’s back with my neighbor whom was a dealer and he was married also. My life was revolved around him and his dope. I didn’t care about any thing or anyone. My husband ended up coming home for Christmas vacation for two weeks. By him coming home supposed to have made me a happy wife but instead I was wishing for him to leave just so that I could go back smoking dope. About a week after my husband going back my kids got taken away. I had signed over temporary custody to my in laws. I ended up moving and got more into the drug scene. My world revolved around drugs and men.
I finally decided to turn myself into a treatment center when I was 5 months pregnant. I didn’t stay there long I ended up running away.
I been on the run for about 3 months. I stayed clean and sober cause I new that if I turn myself backing they were gonna take an U.A. I had gone into labor 1 month early. I only had an hour with my daughter until the nurses came and took her from me. The next day CPS and police came into my room and told me that my daughter was gonna be placed into the CPS custody. My sister ended up being a foster parent for my daughter. 3 days after I gave birth I flew up here to Aloha House. I stayed in Aloha House for 3 months untill I got into Malama. Being at Aloha House I had to deal with the loss of my son and admitting to my self that I was an addict.
Coming into Malama had really changed my whole aspects in life. I’ve tried my best to not show everyone here that I don’t need nobodys help and that I can do it all on my own. But there is where I went wrong. In my life I’ve never had guidance and I’ve never had people that had so much faith in me that I came into Malama. Malama thought me that its ok to make mistakes as long as you learn from them. Malama has given me that chance to be a responsible and worthy mother that I am. Malama has also helped me in a way that no one else did and that’s when I lost my oldest daughter while being here in Malama. Malama had given me the support that not even my own blood relatives could. They had also told me to never give and keep on moving forward. And they always told me to trust the process and to always believe in them and that’s what I did.
Thanks to the Malama ohana I am a better person today then I ever was before.

Testimonial #16
My name is _________ and I am now ___ years old. I’m going to start by saying that I don’t remember much of my childhood but the things I do remember is real sad. I have 2 brothers and 1 sister. My oldest brother was killed by getting run over by a car at 41/2 years old. That’s when my mom and did started their addiction all over again and our family fell apart. The only thing I remember before my parents abandoned me and my brother is me taking care of my baby brother while my mom and dad did their drugs. My mom then left when I 4 years old. I was left with unanswer questions. My brother and I were left with our grandmother on his dads side. She always made sure that we had clothes on our backs, food on the table, and a roof over our head. She was very abusive to me and not my brother. I was always getting beat up for all brothers wrongs and would always tell me that I was just like my mom and would be good for nothing. She also would _____ me that my mom didn’t love me, care about me. I then started rebelling and went to live with my mom’s mother which I did really well except I always just to come home and have my mom be there for once. That’s how my image then was abandoned little girl, lost, depressed and lonely. I started then drinking at age 10 with my cousins and smoking weed at age 11. I was able to hide it until I was 12-1/2 and that when my grandma caught me smoking weed and sent me here to live with my mom and that’s when my life fell apart. My mom and step-dad went to jail for heroin and then again I was abandoned except this time with my little sister. We got put in CPS where then I had to give my little sister to her grandma and eventually after that I stared running away and smoking ice. That’s when all the chaos started. I would smoke so I didn’t have to fill the feelings of being unwanted, unloved, lost, abandoned, lonely. Which then lead me to stealing, lying, cheating and on the road of destruction. All I wanted was a normal family with love, comfort and support. I still today strive for this from my mom and haven’t got it. Since I came to treatment I have inherit a new family that loves me when I’m down and supports me in any way they can. Malama has gave me the tools to be independent and cope with life on its own terms. I was able to be included in a family I never had and strived to have growing up. I was also able to show my real self with out being judged. I would like to thank Malama, for believing in me and teaching me a whole new outlook on life.

Testimonial #17
I’d like to start this testimony off first by thanking Malama staff, Corrine and all my peers. I love and appreciate you all!! Here in treatment I have developed a love for myself that wasn’t easy. I also have self-respect and I value and cherish what I have because it feels good, it feels right. I came to Malama from jail. Jail was my bottom, no way out, no where to hide, no one to lie and manipulate. Jail is where I found God. Jail is where I found myself and jail is where I found hope and through my honesty and determination I got this far and it doesn’t end here for me either. But this is big for me. I have 10 months clean from alcohol, drugs, tobacco and oh, sex!!
I used this bottom as an opportunity to get well for I knew if I’d go back out and use I’d probably would’ve tried to take my life, see my pain and past runs deep. I have put myself through so much I’ve cheated, I’ve lied, I’ve manipulated, I sold my body, I sold other womans body. I was a prostitute. I sold drugs. I slept with so much men I can’t count. I can’t remember. I was physically, sexually, emotionally and mentally abused. I was so wrong. I’ve done a lot of wrong. I left my husband, my kids, my family. I hurt all the people who loved me and I punished myself for that by staying in my sickness, my addiction. But in treatment I have learned communication, coping skills, about my anger, forgiveness and fear. I have learned so much and gained so much. I have moved forward in spite of what has happened.
I know that there is a lot of things ahead of me that I need to deal with. Today I can. I am not afraid and fragile as I was. Today I know what is priorities and responsibilities.
Today I love and respect myself. I care about me and what happens to me, and I know that my disease of addiction will never go away. So I have learned and will continue everyday to stay aware and committed to my recovery, doing just I need to to stay safe, stay sober.
I am grateful to everyone who has been a part of my program here at Malama and this is not the end for me. This is another step forward and I am proud of myself.
I will be because of my faith and inspiration to my mother and brother who are active in their addiction as well as anyone else I inspire.
I love being a mother. I love being me. I love being everything I can be. I can walk with my head up continuing to go forward because today I believe in myself and thank you all for believing in me!

Testimonial #18
To whom that reads this letter,
Hi my name is ________ and I’m 24 years old. What Malama did for me is that they help me through so much things.
Malama is a wonderful place, for me I’ve been in Malama from April and I was not a very happy camper, so I didn’t comeback, but what I’ve noticed is that Malama has never given up on me.
I’ve been in and out of Malama for 8 months. Malama tried so very hard to get me into (TLP) Therapitical Living and I refused to come, but just then I was stranded. I didn’t have nowhere to go, nowhere to live, so I called Malama and asked if they had openings for me and they told me yes, so I was very happy and I’ve moved in.
Being in Malama is not easy, but they’ve helped so very much, they showed me how to be honest, open and willing to give up whats bothered me so much, I’ve given them such a hard time, but then I got over it and got very happy but confused.
Malama helped me find myself that I known that I had it, but I just didn’t know how to use it, for instance they help me get into school, to get my GED, they help me get my drivers permit, and so I’ve even got my visits with my children, I even had the chance to have my daughter to live with me but I refused to have her live with me I had my reasons that’s why.
Malama has wonderful ladies, that love me so much, they get me through me recovery, my clean date is 6 months clean. But I’m really thankful, grateful for being in Malama and I’m going to miss this place so very much, because they helped me. I’m really going to miss the P.A.’s they done a lot too, they helped me to be calm and happy with myself and to especially love myself and my lady friends that lived with me in Malama.
So who ever reading this letter, just don’t give up even if you having a bad day, because Malama is a very wonderful place and it’s a lot more Freedom and Peaceful.
To all the staffs thank you for having me live here and for loving me, and to all the PA’s thank you for being there for me when I needed a friend to talk to and someone to tell my problems, and when I get my ups and downs. Much Mahalo.

Testimonial #19
Dear Malama,
Well I don’t even know where to start because there is so much I’d like to say. I’ll start with saying Thank you for having me here, and my daughter also. There’s been so many good & happy experience here for me. Being here changed my whole life & also gave me a good beginning to accomplish my dreams. The people here are the nicest, softest human beings I have ever met. Even the people I lived with were the first family I have ever experienced. We did everything together. Boy! I’m going to miss it.
Malama thank you for giving me hope, strength & courage without you I wouldn’t have made it out there. But I’d also like to thank the Malama staff & coucelors because you taught me how to succeed & that there is a lot of good gifts out there for me & not giving up to get there.
It kind of makes me look at it like I’m the little toddler just starting to learn how to walk & everytime I fall on my butt, you folks help me get back up & try again. But then now, I know how to walk on my own two feet. Thanks again Malama.

Testimonial #20
I have been on this journey of recovery from November 21, 2000. This is the day that my life changed completely. I was found guilty of ProDang III and was sent to jail with a bail of $10,000. I was unable to post bail so I stayed there for what seemed forever. I was sentenced on January 27th before Judge Raffetto and he handed down a sentence to me of 5 years with a mandatory 1 year imprisonment. My drug choice was crack cocaine. It took total control of my life. At that point I knew that it was either jail or death. This was when I knew that I was going to be incarcerated for at least 1 year and possibly more. I was devastated and I felt so alone. One day sitting in my cell I cried and said “look what happened because of the drugs that you chose to use, you are now in jail for 1-5 years. This was when I turned to God for some help and guidance, I was blessed to have God in my life form that day forward. On February 9th I flew to the Women’s Prison on Oahu and stayed there for 6 months and then returned back to Maui for 4 more months. I did a total of 1 year in prison and I learned a lot. I learned that once was enough and that I was never going back to drugs. I entered Malama Program from MCCC on September 18, 2001 and upon release from MCCC I entered the TLP Program at Malama and finished the 2 more months of treatment that I had. After graduating from Malama Family Recovery Center on January 14, 2002 I entered a new chapter in my life. I went back to college at MCC. Today I am currently in college and working at the school at the Library. I am also working part time at Big Brothers, Big sisters giving back time to the community. I am also in the After-Care program here at Malama and today makes 6 months. I am done with the treatment part but I am on the road of recovery, which is for the rest of my life. Today I choose not to use. I enjoy my life today and I am happy that I went through what I did because if I didn’t I am sure that I wouldn’t be here today. I would like to thank Barb, Jen, Corrine, Steph, Chris, Anita, Lisa, Vanessa, and Carol for all the help in getting better part of my life and I would like to thank God, My family, and my friends for being there for me 100% of the way as I was on this journey of recovery. Today I am happy to report that I have 1 year 8 months and 5 days clean. I did every day one day at a time.
Thank you for being a big part of my life. I will never forget all the sacrifices that the staff at Malama made for me. Mahalo.

Testimonial #21
Controling….This for me is the biggest of my mountines that I must climb. When I first came to Malama Controling has always been a big part of my life as I was growing up. I was always in control of all that I did. Down to controlling everyone I hung out with, what drugs we did, how we got to where we went. What it was we were doing. And who it was we did stuff with. I controlled my relationship. The money our household had I would be in control of who had what or how much each had. Anyway today I’m trying my best to not control the situation in my life. And I’m trying my best. And today I know I’m powerless of all of this. And today I will not use cause I can’t control a situation. But all I can control is the action and the results will up to me and the results will up to me by the actions. I do make my action today are for me to give it to God and prey that God give me the strength. Today I ask for god will for me. As I entered Malama I had lots of donts that this program wasn’t what I need. I only came because I was in the early stages of my ninth month. It was Dec. 3 that I moved into TLP. 18 day later I had givin birth to a baby girl 7lb 6oz. 21in. Of the other three children I’ve already had to my amazement she was a whole pound bigger the my biggest child. 5 day after I gave birth I was givin an U.A. and had a positive for Alcohol. Within days of my positive U.A. I was ask to leave TLP and still attend IOP. And first my addict behavior came right back. I must say that our addiction sits in the background just waiting for us to give him/her a space to get us back in their grasp. And if I forget how powerless I am over my addiction, powerless over trying to Control, the only thing I can control is the way I react to any situation. Today I say the serenity prayer 9-10 times daily reminding myself for God to grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change, the courage to change the things I can and the biggest part for me is the wisdom to know this difference. Today I have the will to live and know that I don’t need to use. Because there is nothing today for me more important then my sobrity. Today my life is 110% better then its ever been. But there always be people in the world that hve no respect of my sobrity and those people I my stay clear of. Jen is my conserler and I dedicate to her thank for all that she’s done. She is like a birthday coach as I have a contraction of anger. She has thought me to breath deep breaths and say everything will be ok. And as I walk through my recovery it as if I’m giving birth to my new self. Just as a baby I must nurse my meeting sober support. Sober people and I must learn to crawl before I start to walk. I’m very grateful for Malama and the tools that have been given to me for me use as my anger creeps up. I can bust into my tool box and get out the tools I need to fix my body. Thank you Malama for the new life all of you have given me. God bless all that read and walk with me through Recovery.

Testimonial #22
Hi my name is _____ and I’m a recovering addict whose life centered into drugs and alcohol. Before I came into Malama, 2 years ago, I got introduced to ice, years before that I was doing coke and drinking really heavy. When I became pregnant to my daughter and I sill knew that I was carrying her within me for nine months I kept on smoking and smoking and didn’t care of what I was putting her through, or what the consequences would’ve been.
The very day that me and my family became homeless, we were staying in our car for a year in a half, finding ways to make money when we didn’t have any to get more drugs and to survive, I can’t believe that all the bad and dangerous situations I was putting my son into, going places where it wasn’t meant for him to be, doing things with him around and not realizing that at his age he understands, the drugs took me so deep that, that very first day CPS took my daughter that’s when I realize I had a drug problem, I needed help badly that’s when CPS referred me to get help I need so they referred me to Malama. I called Malama and made an appointment to meet with them a couple of days after I got out of the hospital, before I started TLP I was coming to babysafe for the first two weeks, then TLP called and made an appointment to get into treatment, on the third week of that month I moved into TLP and got the help to find myself. Malama has taught me o much things that I never realized what it was like when I was using. Thanks Malama for all the things that they’ve done for me helping me to get my daughter back and helping me to find myself again. Thanks again Malama sooo very much!