Adult & Teen Challenge students are returning to their stores, allowing them to see friends and shoppers that they have not seen for months.

The faith-based program needed to close the doors to its thrift stores due to the pandemic. In April, Pastor Kim Lowes, the Director of Women's Ministries for ATC in central Canada, says that her students in Brandon were keeping their spirits up despite having only each other for company.

"God has got us in all of this. He is sustaining us. No matter what is happening in the outside world, the truth of what happens at Adult and Teen Challenge, the restoration of truth, the restoration of lives, is still happening," she says earlier in the pandemic.

f their routine, but it is also a place where they can talk to community members.

"It was good to see the movements and the ability to be able to socialize without fear."

Ahuja was able to see that the people in Brandon were happy to be back.

"Our women that were there seemed happy to be there, and even the customers."

In the store, Ahuja witnessed that customers were very aware of the emotions that people were experiencing now that they could be together in the store.