** AN ANGELS STORY **

Geneva Strickland

Miss Geneva Strickland and Tiffany Stokes, born and raised along with 10 siblings in a poverty stricken area of Chicago, Illinois. This is their story: written by Tiffany...

I remember growing up and having to wait in food pantry lines, due to being poor and having very little to eat. In my late twenties as a single mother of one, I desired a better life for my son and myself. That's when I decided to move us to Los Angeles. I sold everything I had to make the move to have a better life. The day I was leaving, I found out that the majority of my money and the belonging I had left were stolen. Being completed devoted to having a better life, I trusted in God and proceeded on with the move. Once I arrived in Los Angeles, I had to stay in a homeless shelter for a week due to not having any money or any means of supporting us. The homeless shelter helped me obtain employment at the school district which helped me get housing. I immediately got back on my feet, and eventually landed a career at UCLA. That's when God through me for another challenge which ended up being a blessing in disguise. Even though I was a single parent, circumstances arrived, forcing me to become guardian of my 9 month old nephew. I kept working hard and trusting in God throughout all of this. I eventually got married and soon after, became pregnant with my daughter to be. During the pregnancy, I received bad news pertaining to the baby. If I were to continue with the pregnancy, it would kill me due to her being in my fallopian tubes. The doctor said I had no other choice except to abort. I prayed, trusted God, and proceeded with the pregnancy. I'm glad I did, because I went full term and had a healthy baby named Tiffany. The more I trusted God, the more blessings God gave me throughout my life. I wanted to return the blessings in fold, to others that are in need. I started at my church, visiting the sick, nursing homes, hospice, providing meals for the hungry, and families in mourning. Over a decade ago, my daughter Tiffany and I started to collect clothing, buying gloves, hats, socks, and blankets, preparing meals and/or distributing home cooked meals during the holidays to the less fortunate throughout the Las Vegas streets. I proceeded to continue the ministry in Lancaster, Ca, by starting to feed the homeless on the streets at least once a week and helped start several homeless ministries in 5 different churches.

Tiffany Stokes (Left) John Harp (Right)

This is the mission God has given me and it weighs heavy on my heart to help make a difference to those who are less fortunate, as I was myself growing up and even in adulthood. After 32 years at UCLA, I retired, and now have fully devoted my life to helping others in need. Not only feeding the homeless, I am also helping churches establish food pantry ministries, so others would be able to feel the true inspirational joy of helping others. Although my life started with little, when I look back, and see how good God has been and how faithful He has been to me, I continue my life telling and teaching others that if you trust in Him, everything will work out.

Geneva Strickland,

Isaiah 43;1-2