My name is Carmen. We are a small family living in Canada: my husband, our son, and our older daughter. The age difference between the two children is two years.

When they were young, we were very committed to church. We regularly attended the liturgy and received Holy Communion. Even when we were tired, we pushed ourselves to go, so our children would grow up in a healthy spiritual environment, protected from negative influences around them. One of my greatest fears as a mother was that my children might face issues related to LGBTQ identity. I never imagined that this could happen in our own family.

Our story began in 2014. My daughter posted on Facebook saying, “I came out,” a phrase I did not understand at the time. Later, someone explained to me that she was experiencing same-sex attraction. This was a huge shock. Our family life became unstable. I could not focus at work, I was constantly depressed, and I did not know how to handle the situation.

One of our relatives introduced us to Dr. Yousry Armanious, a professional experienced in such cases. They told me he could guide us. I contacted him, and he continuously advised us. We tried to encourage our daughter to speak with him, but she refused. She wanted someone non-Coptic and non-Egyptian, believing he might be biased. So I remained in communication with Dr. Yousry, seeking guidance on how best to handle the situation.

Dr. Yousry explained that family dynamics might have contributed. My husband was very strict with her, and she is a sensitive person. Their relationship was not healthy, and this affected her deeply. He advised us to work on rebuilding their relationship. We even sent them on a father-daughter mission trip, which had a positive impact, though there were still ups and downs. Eventually, she asked to move out to gain her freedom.

Throughout this time, I continued consulting Dr. Yousry for my own psychological and emotional well-being. This situation was very heavy for me. I kept asking God, “Why did this happen? What did I do wrong?” My husband and I even thought perhaps God was punishing us. I also sought guidance from my Father of Confession, who told me that maybe God was teaching us to pray more deeply for our children. Indeed, this experience transformed our prayer life. At first, we had taken things lightly, assuming that because our children grew up in church, nothing could happen to them.

Five years ago, I learned that my daughter had a girlfriend and was staying overnight at her house, even though she lived far away. I tried not to forbid her, but rather to understand the depth of the relationship. Eventually, I realized they were very close, and her girlfriend’s family accepted the relationship. They were Catholic and supportive of it.

I struggled deeply. I felt like a bad mother because I could not accept this relationship. I told her that if she wanted to continue this path, she must do it outside our home. I could not emotionally or psychologically accept seeing or hearing about it. Then my husband and I made our biggest mistake: we asked her to leave the house and live on her own. She left without knowing where to go. When Dr. Yousry found out, he immediately told us to call her back home.

During all this time, Dr. Yousry taught us how to love unconditionally, regardless of her behavior. He showed us how to accept her as our daughter without approving her choices. At first, I did not understand this. But after attending the Ark Ministry course last year, things became clearer. We began applying what we learned. We wrote her an apology letter, and her father apologized as well. This made a big difference. We followed the course guidance and continued reading and learning, with Dr. Yousry supporting us throughout. I cannot emphasize enough how important support and counseling are during such experiences.

Later, my daughter turned to drugs as an escape from her struggles. Her girlfriend urged her to seek therapy for addiction and even threatened to leave her. My daughter attempted suicide, and the police came to our house after her girlfriend called them. She was hospitalized and advised to undergo DBT therapy. She committed to it for one year and worked very hard on herself. She struggled with anger, depression, addiction, and emotional instability, but she persisted. During this time, she was working, and we supported her as parents.

Through therapy, she learned to accept herself, manage her emotions, and overcome addiction and depression. She took medication for a period but no longer needs it. She emerged stronger and calmer. DBT therapy, combined with our unconditional love and God’s grace, helped her greatly.

Although she was distant from church, she remained connected through one girls’ fellowship meeting, which became her only link to church. At one point, I was advised not to pressure her spiritually. Instead, we continued praying for her, placing her name on the altar, lighting candles, and trusting God.

One day, a servant from California, Archdeacon Mark Soliman, visited our church and gave a youth talk. My daughter attended, took his contact, and began speaking with him. Gradually, we saw signs of change. Last year, she told me, “Mom, I gave God an ultimatum: show me the truth, or I will walk away completely.” Later, she came back saying, “God answered me. Now I know where the truth is.”

Today, she is trying to guide her girlfriend toward God. She has returned to confession, changed her Father of Confession, and once spent seven hours in spiritual discussion at a distant church. She now attends the liturgy, receives Holy Communion, and even encourages us to remain faithful in church attendance.

The entire picture has changed. It is truly a miracle to witness such transformation.

“With gratitude to the Lord and to everyone who supported us throughout this journey” – C.M.