xFocus: Exodus Ministries

As we partner with Exodus Ministries for Porch Late Night, we thought Porch-goers might want to know what Exodus is about and how they work in the community. Check out the interview between Exodus staffer, Julie Coats, and one of the recent Exodus program graduates, Diana Munoz...

Julie Coats: Tell me a little bit about your background pre-Exodus?

Diana Munoz: Growing up in a broken home lead me to being involved in drugs for 18 years and then later to my arrest. While I was in jail at my lowest breaking point, I realized through other women telling their testimonies, that Christ was yearning for me and he grabbed my heart. I thank Jesus everyday for allowing me to go through what I did, to realize I needed a Savior!

Julie Coats: In what ways did the Ministry benefit you most?

Diana Munoz: At Exodus, I realized that I need to learn how to be responsible of my life and children. I learned how to create structure in my everyday life & I knew I wouldn’t be able to make it in the real world if I couldn’t follow the simple and basic rules that Exodus had in place. It was such a smooth transition from jail, to Exodus to living on my own. Exodus taught me how to finally know how to love myself, be able to help others and I was at Peace for the first time in my life. Most importantly, I now knew I was loved by Jesus and could see the grace he had given me!

Julie Coats: Where are you now with your life, work and relationship with the Lord?

Diana Munoz: I work at the Bridge, which is a homeless Shelter in Dallas. I’m the intake-Case Manager and I absolutely love it! I’ve been married to my wonderful husband, Edgar for 8 months now and he is very supportive of me and helps care for my beautiful children as well. My number one, on-going goal is to succeed in my recovery and stay sober and also for the Lord to continue to use my testimony and story at the Homeless Shelter, where I work.

Exodus helps each client and their families to become productive members of society by serving their spiritual and physical needs. Upon release, the women face many life-altering issues including: the stigma of being in prison, the residual pain of having been separated from their children for a long period of time, past substance abuse and the abandonment of their husband/boyfriend.

Through the Exodus program model, the women are provided a chance to change their destiny along with that of their children. At Exodus they re-invent themselves by developing life and money management skills, becoming employed, starting a savings account, and most importantly – becoming a positive influence for their children to make correct life choices and following Christ above all else!