Liz is a wellspring of resilience. After a lifetime of battles and losses, she recovered her life at Phoenix Rescue Mission. Her family is from the Lakota Tribe, and she is proud of her roots. She continues to seek how she may follow after God and honor her native culture.

The materials in this portrait are symbolically important. The clay roof tiles and old Bible were found In the dirt in an unseen corner of Phoenix Rescue Mission’s campus where Liz recovered her life. Their inclusion honors the vital role PRM staff and its programs played in Liz’s journey toward renewal. The uniquely turquoise Bible symbolizes how her Christian walk is impacted by her native culture.  She says her goal is to share her newfound freedom in Jesus with other Natives. In a culture that is wary of this integration, she wants to “help somebody else reach out for him.”

To the Lakota Tribe, rain is associated purification. Joy and growth always follow the rain. This rain, coming down from the Word of God, is a symbol of the renewal that has happened in Liz’s story and the joy she has to share it with others.

On Display at Phoenix Rescue Mission, Phoenix AZ