I have learned to live a different kind of life since my divorce. While married, I owned two homes and raised two children. I have always appreciated everything we had. I decided during the divorce that since my daughter wanted to stay with her dad and my husband had to take care of his brother who has special needs, I would let him keep our home and property. I would go live with my family back home, where I was born and raised.
I had planned on getting a job and taking some time to get through what was very hard for me to give up: a 25-year marriage, the home we made together, moving so far away. I was with my family back home for a month when I woke up to them asking me to leave. I couldn’t understand why. I asked other family members for help and they just suggested I go to a women’s shelter. I had never been homeless before.
I had no money, no car, and nowhere to go. I made my way to a bigger city. Some really nice people helped me out and I moved into a shelter. I never knew what being homeless was; I had never seen it when I lived in California seven years ago. I’ve learned to live off of very little money. I’ve worked jobs I didn’t really like, but did anyway.
I’ve seen between two and three thousand people sleeping on the streets, under bridges, and in shelters. What is really sad is seeing the elderly and families with children and people with disabilities having to live like this. Our government tries to help; they build new shelters, but it just isn’t enough.
I’m still in a shelter as I’m writing this. Change has to happen. I’m longing to see families reunite and help one another, and more resources, and more workers to help make this happen. I’d like to see more businesses and churches in the community get involved in the fight. I hope one day to be able to be back with family in my own home. With help and prayers, I hope one day that the homeless population will all get the help they need to be independent and in their own home. Then, we can all become part of the solution.