For My Father: Denise's Story

by Jess Luoma

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Sometimes you don't realize just how powerful your suffering and breakthroughs are until you let the light of your story shine into someone else's pain.

That's exactly what Denise Loraditch, a student advocate from Grants Pass, OR, discovered during her ten day outreach with Shasta Thrive. Her story is one of great loss and redemption-- a story that touched the hearts of those in the camps standing at the threshold of freedom.

As Denise followed her advocate each day into the camps to seek friendship and opportunities to meet the needs of those in front of her, she soon connected her compassion for the marginalized to her own ties to homelessness.

In Part One of Denise's Story, she shares about the catastrophic breakdown of her parents' marriage and her father's subsequent homelessness. As a young girl, she describes the level of worry she carried every day for her father and her aching longing for him to shake his addiction and become her father again.

In this two minute introduction to Denise's story, we can't promise you won't be in tears.

Denise's hands-on experience with Shasta Thrive left her ready to continue to share her story, love the least of these, and inspire others to do the same.

"I feel ignited to go back and become what I (already know) God has predestined me to do. I am encouraged, strengthened and more prepared than ever before."

Denise has fanned the flame of her passion into Need Meeters Ministries in Grants Pass, OR. Her life is a true homage to her father, a piece of her heart that has propelled her into a lifestyle of remembering the poor.

Stay tuned for Part Two of My Father's Story to hear what happens next!

Interested in following in Denise's footsteps and furthering community transformation? Contact us to volunteer here or contribute financially here.