Jada and her baby’s path to stability and hope

Hey, my name's Jada. I'm 18 years old and I'm currently expecting my first baby (due date January 28, 2026). I don't really know what all to share on here because I don't want to be judged. But I've prayed about it and I'm just going to let the Lord lead me in this.

Growing up, my mom was on drugs really bad and had multiple men in and out of my 4 siblings' lives. When I was 6 years old, me, my mom, her boyfriend, and 2 of my other siblings were living in a truck. Eventually, my momma gave all of us away except for my brother. I lived with my youngest sister and one of my mom's ex-boyfriends until I was 11 years old, at which point her ex-boyfriend sexually assaulted me. I was then placed into foster care. It wasn't the first time it had happened to me, but he was the last person I expected it from. I looked at him as my dad and I loved him a lot even though he was emotionally and physically abusive. While in foster care, I was in 14 placements, 3 of those being mental hospitals. My mom passed away from an overdose when I was 14 in my second foster home. I stayed in foster care until the age of 18, at which point I was adopted out. The family that adopted me is great. They're honestly heaven-sent. I couldn't ask for a better family. But I moved out before I was even adopted because I felt like I couldn't be myself there. They were a family and I didn't know what that was like. Their whole life was centered around God and I wanted that, but I didn't know how. It was a change, and change is scary. So I "ran away" from my problems.

I've never really had a good support system. My adopted family tried to be that for me, but I wouldn't let them. My life wasn't the best with my mom, but she was my home, no matter where we were staying.

My pregnancy wasn't planned. But I will be keeping my baby because I chose to do what I did. I've always looked for love in all the wrong places, specifically in men. I've been through so much with my biological family and men that it's made it hard for me to feel any type of good emotions.

I don't wanna give a sob story, but I also don't want anyone to think that I'm just doing this for the heck of it. I went to Camp Shelby, graduated, got 12 credits in college there, and was welding certified. I went on to college afterward, but a life crisis happened and my mental health was at the worst it had ever been. So I dropped out. Since then, I've been living from place to place. I had a car, but the man that I was with before my pregnancy did some damage to it. And a few days ago, a rod in the motor blew. I was working as a PCA doing 12-24 hour shifts making $12/hr, but the same man who damaged my car talked me into staying home and quitting my job. I blame him, but I also blame myself because I was so naive and gullible. That same man also got me to turn in my car title for a loan so he could pay his bills. He now refuses to pay off the loan since I left him for cheating on me with several women.

I was with the father of my baby up until a few days ago where I had to get my cousin to come get me because he started to be abusive. He hadn’t hit me yet but he was pulling my hair and digging his nails into my wrists along with pushing me into walls. I hid in a room and he broke through the door and unlocked it from the outside by sticking his hand through the hole he punched into the door. I eventually was able to make it to my car that doesn’t run and lock myself in. He then started climbing on top of my windshield and was kneeing the side of my door. He didn’t have a job. He’s 22 and we were sharing a bed with a 56 year old man. The house was filthy and sometimes we didn’t have water and would have to shower in a creek. Before I found out I was pregnant that was fine with me. But my baby doesn’t deserve that.

Most of the things I went through I know were my fault and perhaps I could have changed them. And for a while, it's had me down. I've allowed anyone and everyone to treat me however they wanted to and to use me because that's what I was shown love was. I didn't know my worth and I didn't love myself. But I love my baby. He/she didn't ask to be here. It's my responsibility to make sure they have what they need and to give them the best life I possibly can.

I'm not asking for the whole $8000. Anything will help. I'm just trying to save up enough for a car or a down payment so I can be able to make it to and from my doctor's visits, get another job, and be able to get in church. Whatever I have left will be going towards paying off the loan, getting a place of my own, and items for my baby. Thank you and God bless.