See those hands?
Those are hands of women and their children who are being restored. Those hands are hands learning to hope.
Hope to heal. Hope to believe. Hope to rebuild.
Those are hands of women and children who have been through things. Things we wish were fiction, yet are true. Things we hear others talk about, but in the back of our minds can't fathom it actually being real, right here in our city.
Yet they press on in their hope.
Hope to be free. Hope to grow stronger. Hope to be whole.
Hope to live in their God-given identities.
Let me tell you where I live....
I live and work in a home called, Joy House.
We are a transitional living home through Providence Network. PN has several homes and has been doing incredible things in the Denver community for 30 years! Women and their children stay at Joy House for two years while they go through our program.
During their two year stay they receive a care-coordinator (such as myself) who walks with them through every aspect of their lives, a counselor for them and their children, and a community of neighbors within the house who become family.
I don't know that I've ever met more courageous women.
They fight battles everyday that most of us will never have to experience.
Joy House is a special home. Our maintenance man has told me Joy House, in particular, holds a dear place in his heart because of where these women and their children have been and what they have been through.
I live and work in a home called, Joy House.
We are a transitional living home through Providence Network. PN has several homes and has been doing incredible things in the Denver community for 30 years! Women and their children stay at Joy House for two years while they go through our program.
During their two year stay they receive a care-coordinator (such as myself) who walks with them through every aspect of their lives, a counselor for them and their children, and a community of neighbors within the house who become family.
I don't know that I've ever met more courageous women.
They fight battles everyday that most of us will never have to experience.
See that pumpkin? What do you see? A smile? A bunch of goop?
I see a woman and her children painting that pumpkin together, creating memories. Memories that could have been shattered two years ago. Instead, they're here in this house.
Alive. Safe. Healthy.
Rebuilding and hoping to be together as a family permanently someday soon.
I see a woman whose story equally breaks and encourages me.
I see a woman who has had fowl injustices against her since before she could even write.
I see a woman with every reason possible to give up, give in, and call it quits.
Yet...
She seeks to fight for her babies.
She seeks to know Jesus more.
She seeks to teach her children about Jesus.
She seeks to not give up.
I see a woman and her children painting that pumpkin together, creating memories. Memories that could have been shattered two years ago. Instead, they're here in this house.
Alive. Safe. Healthy.
Rebuilding and hoping to be together as a family permanently someday soon.
I see a woman whose story equally breaks and encourages me.
I see a woman who has had fowl injustices against her since before she could even write.
I see a woman with every reason possible to give up, give in, and call it quits.
Yet...
She seeks to fight for her babies.
She seeks to know Jesus more.
She seeks to teach her children about Jesus.
She seeks to not give up.
She seeks hope and she is finding it more and more.
Joy House is a special home. Our maintenance man has told me Joy House, in particular, holds a dear place in his heart because of where these women and their children have been and what they have been through.
It is special, indeed. We seek to make it truly joyful.
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