When Anna* entered the Transition to Independence Program in Mazatlán, she carried more than a suitcase.

She came from a government-run home, where instability and uncertainty were the only certainties. She had learned to survive, not thrive. Practical life skills were limited, and trust didn’t come easily. Her future felt unclear. 

Young adults aging out of care stand at a fragile edge. Without guidance or a steady community, independence turns into isolation. Education stalls. Employment becomes unstable. Old patterns repeat themselves.

Anna stepped into something different.

In September 2025, the Transition to Independence Program hosted a spiritual retreat in Monterrey. For many of the young adults, it became a turning point. It wasn’t loud or dramatic. It was steady. They were given space to reflect, time to ask hard questions, and the opportunity to consider what kind of future they wanted to build.

That weekend, something settled in Anna.

“For me, the Transition to Independence program is a new opportunity to live; it’s a safe home where I have peace and the space to build something from scratch, for myself,” she shared.

A safe home, not just a bed to sleep in or rules to follow, but a place where she has a voice in what comes next.

Anna is now in her second semester at university, studying psychology. She works weekends while balancing coursework and learning everyday disciplines like cooking, money management, self-care – using skills to turn survival into stability. She attends church and youth group, even with a full schedule, and recently chose to be baptized. She wanted her independence anchored in practical skills and in faith. 

Without intervention, aging out of care often leads to uncertain and lonely paths forward. Education falls away. Employment becomes inconsistent. Isolation replaces stability.

With steady support, something else becomes possible. Youth go from aging out of a system to stepping into adulthood with intention. 

Transition done well looks like accompaniment, not abandonment at eighteen.

And today, many more young adults are standing where Anna once stood, capable and resilient, yet only a few unsupported steps from instability. What happens next for them depends on who shows up.

When steady adults, community partners, and faithful supporters step in, independence does not have to mean isolation.

It can mean restoration. Purpose. A new beginning – with the support they need. 

This is a hope that doesn’t stand still.