My parents got divorced when I was ten years old due to extramarital affairs my mother had throughout their marriage.  Although I don’t remember them all, the last one that caused my dad to leave is something I have carried with me for a long time.  I’ve gone to therapists and been put on antidepressants and none of those things helped me.  My worries are not just the fact that my mother chose herself over my sister, my father, and me.  What I carry with me is that she included my sister and me in the act.  She would use us as a reason to get out of the house without any questions from my dad.  Since my sister was so young, she made me in charge of making sure [sister] didn’t say anything to my dad.  She told me to be extra careful because if my father found out, he would make my mom, my sister, and me leave without any clothes or toys.  Needless to say, I was a very scared and stressed out ten-year-old who was sort of forced into an adult world when I wasn’t ready…I have been attending Gateway for six months, and I have felt this enormous change in my life since I’ve started.  I was turned off by church and Christianity because of my mother and her never-ending biblical quotes and prayer-chain gossip about friends and family.  Gateway has totally changed my mind about all that stuff as I am now seeing it in a completely honest and sincere manner.

–Adrian