A Mother’s Heartfelt Note

July 2, 2025

My name is Amanda, and I have two boys, Victor and Diego, who are part of the T.R.A.C. program and the T.R.A.C.life mentoring program. 

It’s 4 o’clock in the morning, and God woke me up and said, “Okay, it’s time to do this.” So here I am, sharing my heart. 

You always hear people say that God opens doors and closes doors. But what I’ve learned is that the doors He opens aren’t always the ones we expect. It’s what you do when you walk through those doors that leads you to people and places you never imagined — and brings healing to you and your children. 

At the time, we were staying in what was essentially a trap house. There was no power, and we were using a generator in the back just to keep the refrigerator running. It wasn’t a good place, but it was where we could all be together. 

Then came a knock on the door — it was DCFS. In my mind, there was only one option: It’s time. Victor, on the other hand, thought about grabbing his brother and running through the woods to keep him safe from the system. He knew what was coming, and Victor was scared. 

I’ll never forget looking at Victor and Diego standing at the tree line of the woods, and saying, “This is what I’ve been praying for — help! And this is what God has sent. We’re going to walk through this together. It’s going to be okay.” 

Did I lose custody of my kids? Yes. Was I blessed in many, many ways because of it? Absolutely. I was the only case in Tangipahoa Parish and Livingston Parish that lost custody — but still got to live with my children, care for them, and most importantly, heal together. That’s the part I believe God cared about most — that we healed together. 

I’m forever grateful to Mona, who was and still is that person helping us through it all. She is amazing, and we love her dearly. But even more, I thank God for making a way for our healing. 

Through the process with DCFS, my boys got the opportunity to go to camp. Were they scared? Yes. Were they excited? Definitely. (I had to pay Diego $30 the first year to go, LOL.) 

But here’s the thing — that camp door opened because of the door we dreaded the most: DCFS. 

When we walked into camp for the first time, I was so nervous. But when I came back to pick them up, there was a visible change in both of my boys. Victor was glowing. You could see the presence of God on him! Diego came out of his shell. We had sheltered him so much, trying to protect him from the chaos around us. And there he was — smiling, talking to people. It was amazing. 

Then we heard about a mentorship program they were starting. It got delayed, but my boys talked about it all year long, constantly asking if we’d heard anything. They couldn’t wait. Six months later, I got custody back. They didn’t think they’d be allowed to go back to camp the next year. But when our old caseworker messaged and said they were invited back — they were ecstatic! 

That also opened another door — for Rayne, Mona’s grandson, who now lives with us. He needed guidance and a godly male figure in his life. 

It was Victor’s last year of camp, Rayne’s first, and Diego’s second. They all had an amazing time. Victor even got to step into a leadership role, since his counselor was new. He loved that. He’s already talking about coming back to serve. He was sad this year when Diego and Rayne went without him, but he wrote a letter to the campers. 

That might not seem like much, but let me tell you: my son used to have no emotions. 

But through Trey — his mentor — he’s learned how to talk, how to express what he’s feeling. He has someone he respects and looks up to — a godly man. And that matters. 

I know I can text Trey and say, “Victor needs to talk. He’s going through something I can’t help him with.” And Trey always shows up. Every time. I’m so grateful. 

Now Diego has a mentor too — Cody. Diego loves Cody. When they go out, Diego looks forward to it for days. He even thinks in advance about what they’ll talk about. They’ve been discussing careers, dreams, and the future. Cody stretches him — takes him to LSU games, into crowds, and out of his comfort zone. 

Honestly, my boys didn’t think they had a future before T.R.A.C. and T.R.A.C.life mentorship. That’s the truth. 

Rayne’s mentor is Dawson. And it’s helping him in the same way. Mona had been praying for a male figure to step into Rayne’s life since he lost his grandpa — the man who had been that person for him. And now God has answered. 

This program — T.R.A.C. and T.R.A.C.life mentoring — has opened so many doors. Not just physical ones, but doors in their minds they didn’t even know were there. 

I hope I’m explaining this well enough for you to understand what I’m really trying to say. 

If it wasn’t for that one knock on the door — for the mentors, the programs, the yeses from people like you — I don’t know where my boys or nephew would be. I don’t know what their mental health would look like. Honestly, I don’t even know if Victor would still be alive. 

You change lives. 

You give hope. You help kids know they are seen. You help them know they matter. 
You help them know they have worth. And, most importantly, you help them know they have Jesus — that they are children of God. 

So, I just want to say thank you. 

I will forever be grateful for everything you do. And I’m praying that God opens your heart to become a mentor for a child who needs you. 

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be present — not just in their life, but for their life. 

So I’ll end with this question: 

You’ve heard me talk about doors. Well, if you haven’t realized it yet — God has opened a door for you to step in and be there for a child who needs you. 

Will you walk through it? 

Will you become the person God is calling you to be?