Empower Lenore: From Cult Survivor to Advocate

Hi there,

My name is Lenore Isler (formerly Lenore Paris, and I have been in the long, difficult process of building my life after exiting the group known as Concerned Christians - the cult that held my life captive for 23 years. I have come a very long way in that process, but still have a ways to go. My ultimate goal is to use my experience and my story to help others. I want to raise awareness about cults and coercive control so that these things can be better and more widely understood, as well as find ways to be of service to other survivors and their families. However, before I can reach these goals, I have a couple of more immediate matters that need to be dealt with.

The first is that I need a drivers license. Not having one severely limits my options for employment. My options are already limited due to my lack of credentials, experience and education, and many of the jobs that I do qualify for require a drivers license. As it is now, I am using public transportation which is very time consuming and expensive in this country. It means spending hours of unproductive time in transit. Besides the practical and financial reasons for needing a license, I also crave the freedom of being able to drive again. It is an aspect of my life that makes me feel trapped and limited in much the same way I was in the cult. It's a simple thing that most people take for granted, but to me, it is monumental, and a long-held dream I would love to achieve.

Acquiring a license here in Switzerland is a very long, complicated, and very expensive endeavor. When I was in Colorado earlier this summer, I attempted to get a license, and ran into some roadblocks, and was unable to complete the process, much to my frustration and dismay. However, those roadblocks have been removed, and I would like to return before the end of the year, preferably in November to complete the process.

The second thing I need to accomplish before I can move forward with my bigger goals is to get my GED. I would like to pursue higher education in psychology, particularly in the areas of religious abuse, trauma, and group think/ideology. But, of course, to do so, I need a GED. I have researched the process, and the simplest, quickest way would be for me to take the tests in person in the US. It can be done here, but there are very limited times (only once or twice a year) in cities rather far from here.

So, my appeal to you is for a little help in achieving these goals. My current income can be classified as "barely scraping by", and I have zero savings (remember, I am just starting out) and as I am paid hourly, missing work means losing income, which means not being able to pay rent. Thankfully, I already have a car available for me to use, now I just need the license. I am looking to collect enough to cover the travel expenses and the lost income for a two to three week trip. I want to break the remaining bonds this cult has on my life, and move forward with the kind of freedom I deserve, and need in order to live the life I am meant to live. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and consider this. I appreciate any and all help I can get. You have no idea how much it means to me.

Sincerely, and with gratitude,

Lenore