Brigitta’s Story (1998 Alumna)

I was born and raised in Hungary. I came to the U.S. to get my bachelor’s degree at Azusa Pacific University. One day in 1998, while I was a student, I found out that I was pregnant. I moved into Elizabeth House when the semester ended in May with very little money in my pocket. Elizabeth House was the place where God provided for all my needs. We had Lamaze classes to prepare us for labor, counseling, and a warm cooked meal every day.

One night, I called my Elizabeth House mentor, and she drove me to the hospital in Glendora in the middle of the night. The results were troubling, and the doctors decided to induce the labor immediately. I gave birth to a healthy boy, and I named him David— like King David, God’s beloved son.

That was 26 years ago, but it made a lifelong impact. With the help of Elizabeth House, I graduated from APU in 2003 and then David and I moved back to Hungary. My brave young man moved back to the U.S. alone at age 17 for his senior year of high school. When I came to his graduation ceremony, I brought him back to Elizabeth House and we were immediately assured that he could get support through college. He received a yearly scholarship during his studies at PCC and then later at USC where he graduated with honors 2 years ago!

But our story doesn’t end there. I got married in 2007 and our daughter Vivien was born in 2010. We missed David very much after he moved to the U.S., and we decided to move back this July so the whole family can be close together again. David is my legacy, my pride and joy— the baby boy who was safely born in Glendora, who is now a certified public accountant and working for Ernst & Young.

Thank you — on behalf of all the residents at Elizabeth House— for being part of the journey where Elizabeth House is creating legacies.