| | | | Newsletter | November 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. | | | | | | | | | |
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As Thanksgiving approaches, many are carrying both gratitude and grief in the same heart. This season, may you be encouraged to hold on to hope, trusting that God is still present–even in the silence, even in the waiting. He is faithfully working beneath the surface in ways you may not yet see. | Carmen Alonso, Founder and Executive Director |
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When God Feels Quiet
There are seasons when gratitude doesn't come easily.
November can make that especially noticeable. Thanksgiving is approaching, conversations turn toward what we're thankful for, and yet your own heart may be carrying something you wish you could change.
Perhaps there is a prayer you've been bringing to God for a long time. A situation remains unresolved. Someone you love is still hurting. Something you hoped would be different by now is still the same.
And God feels quiet. What do you do with gratitude then?
Maybe you don't have to begin with a long list of things you're thankful for. Maybe you begin smaller.
Notice the cup of coffee in your hands.
The person who checked on you.
The strength to get through another difficult day.
The moment of laughter you didn't expect.
The verse that stayed with you for a few minutes longer than usual.
These things don't erase what hurts. Gratitude isn't pretending that the hard things aren't there. It is learning to notice that they are not the only things there. | | |
| | | | | | | Sometimes we think we need to understand what God is doing before we can thank Him. But there are moments when understanding doesn't come first.
We simply pause and remember what we already know about Him.
God has been faithful before.
He is still good when circumstances are not.
And His quietness does not mean He has stopped caring. | | | | | |
| | | So perhaps this Thanksgiving, instead of asking yourself, “What do I have to be thankful for?” ask something a little different:
“Where have I seen God's goodness, even here?”
It might be something very small. Let yourself notice it. Then notice another.
Your unanswered prayer may still be waiting. Your circumstances may not have changed. But perhaps, in the middle of the waiting, your eyes can begin to recognize gifts you might otherwise have missed.
Sometimes gratitude doesn't change the situation. It changes what we are able to see while we walk through it. |
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| | Hope Beyond Our Walls
Sometimes hope begins with something remarkably simple: someone showing up.
At Mending The Scarred, healing and compassion extend beyond our own monthly gatherings and into the community—meeting women where they are and reminding them that they are not alone. | | |
|  | One meaningful moment took place in November 2025, when our volunteers visited a high-security shelter serving women and children escaping domestic violence. The team shared a complete meal, desserts, drinks, and a time of connection and encouragement. Our Founder and Executive Director, Carmen Alonso, also lovingly prepared beautiful gift bags for each of the women. |
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| | | It was a single afternoon, but a meaningful one—filled with warm smiles, heartfelt gratitude, and the reminder that even a simple act of kindness can create space for hope. We hope to have another opportunity to visit again this November and are waiting to hear back from the shelter. You can see more photos and read about that special afternoon in our Media Gallery: “Serving Hope Together: An Afternoon of Care and Connection.”
But our outreach does not end with a single visit.
Every last Saturday of the month, a small Mending The Scarred team visits Aspire, where women and their children are receiving shelter and support. Because only two or three of us are permitted to attend, these gatherings take place in a small and personal setting.
We bring the same Inner Healing subject that our own groups are exploring that month, allowing the women at Aspire to walk alongside us through the same themes of healing, hope, and restoration.
And they are remarkably open. In the midst of circumstances that are often painful and uncertain, they listen, participate, and receive the teaching with an eagerness that touches us deeply. There is a hunger for hope—and a hunger for God.
After the teaching, we spend time together creating. Painting, drawing, and coloring provide a welcome pause—a chance to relax, enjoy one another's company, and simply breathe for a while. What may seem like a simple Arts & Crafts activity becomes something more: a peaceful space where creativity, connection, and a little joy can find their place in the middle of difficult circumstances. | | |
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| | | While we protect the privacy and safety of the women by not photographing their faces, even the images of hands gathered around a table tell a beautiful story.
Mending The Scarred also continues to serve through Faith Assembly's Car Care Ministry, offering encouragement, prayer, and a caring presence to women in the community. You can read more about this ongoing outreach in our November 2025 newsletter article, “Grace in the Everyday: Ministry that Meets Women Where They Are.”
Different places. Different circumstances. But the same heart.
To show up with compassion. To offer hope.
To remind women that healing is possible—and that they do not have to walk the journey alone.
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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. | | |
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| | | | | | Connections in Motion: Where Healing Meets Community
Throughout every Mending The Scarred chapter, women continue gathering each month to find encouragement, deeper connection, and space to grow together.
Each chapter carries its own unique atmosphere and expression, yet all are united by the same purpose—a compassionate place for healing, faith, restoration, and authentic community.
Whether you connect with us in Orlando, Jacksonville, or through our Spanish-speaking chapter, you’ll encounter the same monthly theme thoughtfully explored within each community’s unique setting and rhythm.
Each chapter also shares its own flyer with clear details to help you easily find the gathering that fits you best.
Different places. Different expressions. One shared journey toward healing, restoration, and hope.
We would love for you to join us. | | | | | |
| This Month’s Topic: Breaking Agreements with Darkness Sometimes the deepest bondage is not obvious.
It can quietly shape the way we think, react, relate, and even see ourselves—hiding beneath fear, emotional survival patterns, control, confusion, or invisible spiritual weight.
This month, we are opening an honest and hope-filled conversation about the hidden places that keep hearts spiritually entangled. Together, we’ll explore how false agreements, unhealthy attachments, and subtle lies can influence our identity and distance us from the freedom God desires for us.
But this is not a journey centered on fear—it is a journey toward clarity, discernment, healing, and spiritual freedom. As truth comes into the light, chains begin to loosen, peace begins to return, and hearts can finally breathe again. |
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| Tema de este mes: Rompiendo acuerdos con la oscuridad
A veces, las cadenas más profundas no son visibles.
Pueden moldear silenciosamente nuestra manera de pensar, reaccionar, relacionarnos e incluso la forma en que nos vemos a nosotros mismos—escondiéndose detrás del miedo, patrones de supervivencia emocional, control, confusión o cargas espirituales invisibles.
Este mes, estaremos abriendo una conversación honesta y llena de esperanza sobre aquellas áreas ocultas que mantienen al corazón espiritualmente atado. Juntas exploraremos cómo los falsos acuerdos, las conexiones no saludables y las mentiras sutiles pueden influenciar nuestra identidad y alejarnos de la libertad que Dios desea para nosotras.
Pero este no es un camino centrado en el temor, sino en la claridad, el discernimiento, la sanidad y la libertad espiritual. Cuando la verdad sale a la luz, las cadenas comienzan a romperse, la paz empieza a regresar y el corazón finalmente puede respirar de nuevo. | | |
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| | | | | | | | | | | New Opportunities to Connect and Grow
Our Save the Date! page gathers everything happening within Mending The Scarred into one simple, easy-to-navigate space—helping you stay connected without feeling overwhelmed. From upcoming gatherings and weekly prayer calls to special events and the new seasonal theme we are stepping into, it offers a clear and peaceful glimpse of what’s ahead.
You’ll also find details about our WhatsApp groups, ongoing rhythms of community connection, and different ways to stay engaged—whether you are nearby or joining from a distance.
This space is created to help you remain rooted in connection in a way that feels intentional, steady, and supportive as we move through November together. | | | | | | | | | |
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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? | | |
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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! |
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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. | | |
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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.
Your willingness to share may become part of someone else’s healing journey. | | |
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| | Got Questions? See our most popular FAQs! | | |
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