(This article was written by Beth Marie Cantu Ensign and was featured in the October 2024 issue of Explore Harlingen Magazine.)
In Harlingen, Texas, Lighthouse Recovery Home shines brightly as a place of hope and renewal for men struggling with addiction. This Christian-based recovery home offers more than just a roof over the heads of those seeking help; it provides a safe, supportive environment where men can rebuild their lives and find love and peace through faith.
Lighthouse Recovery Home is led by Priscilla Soto and her husband Junior Soto, who are both dedicated to helping men break free from the chains of addiction through love and faith. Priscilla, a former addict herself, knows firsthand the challenges that come with recovery. Fourteen years ago, she found herself at rock bottom, consumed by addiction, until a life-changing encounter set her on a new path.
Priscilla’s recovery journey began when a friend—once a drug dealer, freshly out of prison—invited her to attend church. “I was a very broken woman when I walked into the doors of the church,” Priscilla shares. “It took just one time to understand that God loves people who were as broken as me… I decided I was done dying. I wanted to live.” With the support of her friend and her newfound faith, Priscilla overcame addiction and began to feel a strong calling from God to help others do the same.
A few years after becoming sober, Priscilla helped bring Lighthouse Recovery Home to fruition. In a small home, settled on a part of their family property, Priscilla and Junior offer a safe, structured environment where men can focus on healing and rebuilding their lives.
Though space is limited, the men work together to heal and keep the home functioning. At Lighthouse Recovery Home, men in recovery receive Christian-based guidance, counseling, and weekly Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, along with Bible study to help them reconnect with their faith. They benefit from peer support, encouraging each other through shared experiences, and receive life skills training, such as tying a tie, which helps them find jobs and reintegrate into society. The program focuses on reaching key milestones, such as maintaining sobriety, rebuilding relationships, and finding employment or purpose.
Residents also contribute by caring for the home, cooking for one another, and taking on side jobs, like painting and mowing lawns, to help cover utility costs.
The typical stay is around six months, but the support doesn’t end there. The program and the church continue to offer guidance for as long as the men are willing to engage, ensuring they have the tools they need to stay on the path of recovery.
Despite these efforts, financial support remains a challenge, as the home operates entirely on donations and provides its services free of charge. And despite Lighthouse being specifically for men, Priscilla encourages women needing help to reach out. “When someone reaches out, we try to never say ‘no, we can’t help you.’ We try to find resources for them.”
One of the standout success stories from Lighthouse Recovery Home is Manny, who arrived at the home as a young man, struggling with drug addiction. Determined to turn his life around, Manny embraced the program, working hard to rediscover himself with the guidance and support of the Lighthouse team. Now, he is a Certified Nursing Assistant, plans to pursue further education, and continues to thrive in his recovery journey. “He’s going on two years and two months sober,” Priscilla says proudly. “Sometimes I wish I could get to the ones who don’t make it. But then I see [Manny] as a true testimony [of our work and] that even if I can’t reach the world… I can reach one. And even if the home doesn’t make it… and it closes down, all I know is that the mission has been accomplished, but there’s still so much more to do.”
Lighthouse Recovery Home is more than just a place for men to recover from addiction; it’s a lifeline that offers them a second chance at life. Through the unwavering dedication of Priscilla and Junior Soto, and the love of Christ, men like Manny are not just surviving—they’re thriving. While challenges like finances and space limitations remain, the mission of Lighthouse Recovery Home remains steadfast: to restore broken lives, one person at a time. Even if the light only reaches a few, the impact is immeasurable, proving that with faith, support, and determination, anyone can break free from the storm of addiction and find a new beginning.
If you or someone you know are struggling with addiction, or if you’re interested in helping Lighthouse Recovery Home, contact the Sotos via email at sblighthouserecovery@gmail.com.
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