Nakita Cunningham, 37, faces a wide range of emotions eight days into her recovery at Open Door Church, just outside Kennett, Mo. After dropping out of Kennett High School as a freshman following her mother’s passing, Nakita fell into meth and crack use at 15, became pregnant at 17, lived on the streets for 15 years, and had five incarcerations. Just over a week into the program and in the probationary stage, Nakita has few responsibilities or privileges; her stay is voluntary, but she cannot contact the outside world or leave the facility. She remains for the sake of her three children.

Staff and residents of Freedom House take a smoke break on the front porch of Open Door Church. The church hosts Freedom House, a branch of Mission Teens, Inc., which provides a nondenominational gospel of Jesus Christ to those struggling with “life-controlling problems.” The program lasts eight months, during which participants become staff to help those on probation and emphasizes how individuals can move forward through lessons of faith. 

Nakita Cunningham submits her prayer verse for the upcoming week in the devotions room of Open Door Church. The ritual marks her one-week anniversary at the ministry. Her first week's verse read, “God, help me stay still and defeat this—no more running,” while her second week’s verse reads, “God, let me be humble, love others, and show compassion.”

Fellow sisters of the "family" lend a hand to Nakita Cunningham as she cries and prays. She later shared her feelings of shame, God, happiness, and fear with a fellow sister, who quickly reminded her that God does not instill fear. Throughout the day, residents study the Bible for five hours. 

Residents of Freedom House are given one cigarette at a time. They get seven for a weekday and eight on weekends. Counselor Ryan Burhans hands Nakita Cunningham her cigarette allowance from the locked filing cabinet in the director's office at Open Door Church.

Eight days into her stay in rehab, Nakita Cunningham searches for her fellow sisters while sitting alone at the female dining table. After storming out of the house and threatening to leave the ministry, some of her fellow sisters did not join her at the table. Several went to speak with counselors about feeling disturbed by Cunningham’s “spiritual attack” which was in sharp contrast with the spiritual high of the day before. The ministry claims that for every three individuals who join, one person leaves and does not continue the program.

Nakita Cunningham sews a pillow at Open Door Church. While her schedule is jam-packed with work throughout the day, a few personal moments are allowed, including sewing, showering, playing board games, and sleeping.

Because she is in the probationary stage of rehab, Nakita Cunningham cannot be left alone, so she sweeps the devotion room under supervision of trainee Paige Weiss. The entire facility is run using military abbreviations and strict instructions to keep the residents in order at all times.

Nakita Cunningham settles into a van for a short field trip to the ministry's church in Holcomb, Mo. Just a week into rehab, the future remains uncertain for Nakita. “It’s still transforming me. I’ve only been here for about a week. It’s my flesh that still controls me. I would tell my future self that my past is my past, and to not look back, to stay still, walk forward with the Lord when needed, and don’t run without Him.”