Mending The Scarred

Newsletter | December 2026

We are an organization of women volunteers passionate about reaching out to the broken women affected by domestic violence, sexual abuse or any other type of brokenness in need of mental and emotional healing.

As the year gently comes to a close, December often invites us to reflect—not only on where we have been, but on the quiet ways we have continued moving forward. My prayer is that in the midst of this busy season, you find moments of peace, meaningful connection, and reminders that hope often meets us in the most unexpected places.

Carmen Alonso, Founder and Executive Director

The Strength of the Scar

Have you ever noticed how something small can remind you of something big?

A certain tone of voice. A date on the calendar. A family gathering. A song you haven't heard in years. Suddenly, something you thought was behind you touches a place inside you that still feels tender.

Perhaps that is part of what makes a scar such a meaningful picture of healing.

A scar tells us that a wound has closed. But healing doesn't necessarily stop at what we can see. There can be deeper layers that still need attention.

Our hearts can be like that, too.

You may have forgiven someone, but still need healing from what the experience taught you to believe about yourself. You may have moved forward, but still find yourself reacting to situations because of what happened before. You may know the story is in the past, yet discover there are places within you that still need to be brought to God.

That doesn't mean you haven't healed. It means there may be more healing to receive.

We see this in Scripture. Peter's denial of Jesus became part of his story, but it wasn't the end of his story. After His resurrection, Jesus met Peter personally and restored him. What had been a place of failure became a place where Jesus continued His work in him.

And Christmas reminds us of something beautiful: Jesus came into our world to meet us in our humanity—not after everything was made whole, but right in the middle of it.

So this Christmas, if you discover that an old wound still has a tender place, don't be discouraged.

Bring that place to Jesus.

You don't have to reopen the whole story. Sometimes you simply need to say, “Lord, there is still something here that needs Your healing.”

The scar may show that you have come through the wound.

But perhaps its strength is also in reminding you that healing can go deeper than what others can see—and Jesus is still able to meet you there.

The Journey Through 2026

More Than a Year.

A Movement of Healing.

Some years are measured in numbers. Others are measured in courage, quiet breakthroughs, and the moments that begin changing lives from the inside out.

As we reflect on 2026, we celebrate a year of deeper healing, stronger community, renewed purpose, and women taking courageous steps toward restoration.

Here's a glimpse of what we experienced together.

🎀 Inner Healing Series

We launched a 12-session Inner Healing Series, guiding women toward emotional and spiritual restoration rooted in truth, identity, and wholeness in Christ. Each month explored a different healing-centered topic, helping participants grow in freedom, resilience, and hope. Because we pause during July and gather for our Christmas celebration in December, the series will continue into the first months of the new year. Explore our 2026 Newsletter Archive to discover the topics covered throughout the year.

🎀 One Theme. Four Chapters.

This year, Jacksonville dedicated one of its weekly gatherings each month to our shared healing theme. As a result, all four of our communities—Casselberry, East Orlando, Jacksonville, and our Spanish-speaking East Orlando community—have been walking through the same monthly themes together. Different locations and languages, but one shared journey of healing, creating a deeper sense of connection and unity across Mending The Scarred. See highlights on our chapters on our March 2025 newsletter.

🎀 Growing Our Mentorship Team

Our mentorship ministry continued to grow as new women stepped forward to encourage others through compassion, wisdom, and personal experience. We were delighted to welcome Evelyn, Lissette, Michelle, and Yubi as new trained mentors, expanding the support available to women on their healing journey. See highlights on our August newsletter.

🎀 Strengthening Professional Partnerships

We were honored to welcome Dr. Lillian Moyet as a ministry partner. As a licensed counselor, ordained minister, author, and motivational speaker, she brings compassionate, faith-centered guidance that strengthens the support we provide to women on their healing journey. See her bio on Volunteering/Partnerships.

🎀 S.H.A.P.E. Journey

Through our ongoing S.H.A.P.E. class, women discovered more of their God-given identity, purpose, and unique calling. As participants gained greater clarity about their gifts and life experiences, many began to see how their healing could become a source of hope for others. We highlighted our S.H.A.P.E. class of 2025 on our July newsletter.

🎀 Annual Retreat: Victory Over Affliction

Women from all four chapters gathered for a powerful day of worship, biblical teaching, testimony, creativity, and meaningful connection. Together, they were reminded that affliction does not have the final word and that healing begins as we embrace God's truth about who we are. Highlights from the retreat were shared in our May newsletter, with additional photos available in our Gallery.

🎀 Hope Beyond Our Walls

This year, we continued carrying hope beyond our regular gatherings—bringing healing, faith, and encouragement to women where they are, including our monthly outreach at Aspire and our participation in the Car Repair Outreach with Faith Assembly. See more in our November 2026 newsletter, and take a look through our Gallery for a glimpse of these moments.

🎀 Faithful Leadership During a Season of Change

While Founding and Executive Director Carmen Alonso took a nearly three-month sabbatical, our weekly gatherings continued without interruption. Through thoughtful planning and the faithful dedication of our leaders and other volunteers, every meeting, teaching, and discussion continued with care and consistency.

🎀 When Plans Change

One disappointment this year was the cancellation of our Leaders Retreat. After months of preparation, our Airbnb reservation was unexpectedly canceled when the property was sold. With too little time to secure another location large enough for our 22 leaders, we made the difficult decision to postpone the retreat. While disappointing, this experience reminded us that unexpected detours do not cancel God's purposes. They simply invite us to trust Him in new ways and remain faithful while waiting for the next opportunity.

22 Faces. Countless Quiet Miracles.

Every meaningful gathering has a story behind it—and usually, someone setting up chairs, making calls, praying beforehand, facilitating conversations, bringing snacks, solving unexpected problems, and somehow still smiling.

Leadership is often found in ordinary moments: opening doors, offering encouragement, remembering names, holding space for tears, sharing wisdom, and faithfully returning week after week. That kind of quiet faithfulness may not always be seen, but it changes lives.

To our twenty-two treasured leaders, thank you for walking this journey with us. Your compassion, consistency, and willingness to serve created spaces where healing could take root and women could feel seen, heard, and supported. Your service shaped this year in ways both visible and unseen, and the impact of your care reaches farther than you may ever know.

From left to right, in alphabetical order: Ahisha, Alissa, Bonne, Daune, Diana, Doreen, Edna, Evelyn O., Evelyn T., Frances, Ivette, JoeAnna, Lisette, Liza, Lourdes, Lydia, Maribet, Mildred, Myrna, Nina, Rebecca, and Wanda.

Healing Together: Strength Found in Community

Healing was never meant to be walked alone.

There is something deeply grounding about sitting in a room with others who understand, where stories are shared without judgment, and silence can feel just as supportive as words. In those moments—over a shared meal, a conversation, or even a simple smile—something begins to shift. Isolation loosens its grip, and connection starts to take its place.

Our in-person gatherings offer that kind of space: a place to slow down, be present, and experience the steady reminder that you are not walking this journey alone. Over time, these moments become more than meetings—they become relationships, encouragement, and a quiet rebuilding of trust in community.

At the same time, life does not always make it easy to gather in person. That is why our weekly online prayer group exists—to provide a consistent space of support and spiritual grounding, wherever you are. It is a time to pause, pray together, and find encouragement in the middle of real life, even in busy or difficult seasons.

Different settings, same heart: connection, healing, and the reminder that restoration often happens in community.

Before We Gather Again... A Look Back

As we prepare for our 2026 Christmas Luncheon, we couldn’t resist sharing a few joyful memories from last year’s gathering.

Our 2025 luncheon was filled with laughter, meaningful conversations, shared gratitude, and the kind of warmth that reminds us we were never meant to walk alone. If these smiles tell us anything, it’s this: beautiful things happen when women gather around hope, healing, friendship, and community.

This year, on December 5, women from all four Mending The Scarred chapters will gather again for a special Christmas afternoon. Along with current attendees, we are grateful to welcome women who have been part of our gatherings in the past, as well as the female guests they have personally invited.

This is a special gathering for our Mending The Scarred community—not a public event—and we look forward to sharing it with the women who have been part of this journey.

Before stepping into this year's celebration, we wanted to revisit a few favorite moments from last December—a gentle reminder that some of life’s sweetest memories are made simply by gathering together.

Here, we’re sharing just two of the thirteen photos and collages featured in the Gallery on our website, capturing small glimpses of a day filled with joy, connection, and Christmas cheer.

Here, we're sharing just two of the thirteen photos and collages featured in our Gallery, capturing small glimpses of a day filled with joy, connection, and Christmas cheer.

Together, We Can Break the Cycle of Trauma

At Mending The Scarred, we believe every woman deserves the chance to heal, rebuild, and thrive after trauma.

Many women survivors of domestic violence and other hardships face overwhelming challenges—homelessness, financial instability, and emotional wounds that feel impossible to heal alone. That's where we stepped in.

We provide real, life-changing support to women in need, offering counseling, job assistance, emergency aid, took, clothing, medical care, and access to education. But we don't stop there

—we're working toward a secure, transitional housing program in Central Florida, giving survivors a stable place to stay while they rebuild their lives.

This mission isn't just about meeting basic needs—it's about empowerment. We want women to move beyond survival, to become confident, self sufficient, and ready to build a bright future.

But we can'd do this alone. Your support—whether through donations, volunteering, or spreading the word—can change lives. Together, we can provide a fresh start for women who need it most.

Will you join us?

Our Vision | Our Team | Volunteering/Partnerships

Exiting Ways to Make a Difference

Be the Change: Join Our Mission to Empower Women

Mending The Scarred thrives because of dedicated volunteers like you—individuals with a passion for transforming the lives of women impacted by domestic violence, sexual abuse, and emotional trauma. Together we can create a brighter future.

Here is how you can make a difference:

🎄 Community Outreach: Share hope by helping us connect with local schools, churches, and community events, introducing women to the life-changing support of MTS.

🎄 Prayer & Intercession Team: Lend your heart and faith by praying for the women we serve and supporting our leadership team through intercession and special events.

Your time, energy, and compassion can change lives. Take the first step today! Click the link below to explore volunteer opportunities and email us at info@mendingthescarred.org to get started.

Let's make an impact together!

Volunteering/Partnerships

Sponsor a Survivor

Imagine the profound impact you can have on a woman who has endured the unthinkable—abuse, trauma, and heartache.

Your sponsorship isn't just a donation—it's an investment in the restoration of a life. It's a chance to show who has suffered that she is seen, valued, and worthy of the care and healing she so desperately needs.

Every session provides a safe space for her to process her pain, rebuild her self-worth and reclaim the strength that trauma tried to take from her.

Spread the Healing: Invite Others to Join Our Journey

Every journey toward healing becomes more powerful when shared.

If our newsletter has inspired, uplifted, or encourage you, we invite you to share it with others who might benefit as well! Encourage your friends, family, or colleagues to subscribe. Together, we can extend the reach of hope, understanding, and connection to even more hearts.

We also encourage you to explore our Newsletter Archive, where you’ll find past editions that highlight different aspects of Mending The Scarred—each one offering a glimpse into specific themes, gatherings, initiatives, photos, and the ongoing story of healing within our community.

Your willingness to share or simply point someone toward these resources may become a quiet part of someone else’s healing journey.

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Mending The Scarred

info@mendingthescarred.org

407-484-4544