John was taken advantage of by a romantic scammer, leaving him emotionally shattered, badly hurt, financially damaged and alone in a foreign country.
When John’s family learnt about what John had experienced and how low he was feeling, they encouraged him to attend a program at Quest. He’d heard of Petrea King and Quest for Life, but never thought that a program would help him in his situation.
“Since seeing you all at my stay, I have felt like a weight has been lifted off me. The sun is shining now and I am so much happier. I whistle little tunes and feel lighter, it’s such a change from last year.”
With the encouragement of his niece and financial support of his family, John came to Quest for a Healing Your Life program in 2023.
John appreciated the kindness, insight, and stories of the program facilitators, and related to stories shared by the other participants. He was moved by their collective determination to move forward despite the challenges they all faced.
“I’m surprised at how many women have been abused,” John commented.
John learnt skills and strategies to help him get back on his feet. Although he’d been told by a counsellor that he’d need to forgive himself for what had happened, Healing Your Life helped him understand why forgiving himself was so important to the healing process. John also appreciated the meditations included in the program, which support ways to heal and forgive.
“I knew about meditation before, but really didn’t use it. Now I make the effort to meditate twice a day and have forgiven myself for what’s happened in the past. I look towards the future, but live in the present as much as possible – the process of healing is ongoing.“
Today, John knows he is a work in progress: “it simply doesn’t work like that, it takes time to heal and mend”.
His future is filled with hope. Already something on the inside has changed and this reflects outwardly.
“Just on the weekend, at my regular market stall, people were commenting that I look different, happier.”
John’s creativity has returned and he is doing all sorts of arty projects, like creating things for his local market. He is planning to go to a big market in December as well as traveling to various parts of Australia, including Perth to visit a friend that he made whilst at the Quest program.
John knows that Quest helps put lives back together, saving lives, not just his.
“My relationship with family and friends is much better and humorous, it’s such a change, I can’t thank all the team from Quest enough, it’s amazing. I have, as you have said, fluffed myself up. I look at my world in the eyes and walk on with confidence. The tools Quest gave me are amazing.”
John shares his story as part of Quest’s EOFY Appeal. Donations provide transformative care for those who have experienced trauma.
Please help more people like John to have a second chance in life and donate to Quest’s EOFY Appeal.
