Remember back to a time when you were immersed neck deep in a stressful situation. Recall the other areas of your life that suffered during that time. Poor decisions were made. Basic necessities were ignored. Eating healthy wasn’t even on your radar. Many times, you were just happy to get out of bed.
This is what happens to families in crisis. But what does it look like when the crisis is not having a home or bed? Homeless families fall into survival mode, and as a result many areas of their lives suffer. Sleep deprivation, over eating or under eating, too much medication or worse not taking prescribed meds, are all by-products of being homeless. It is a fact, during desperate times, people may do desperate things and good people make poor choices.
Single Mom Comes Out of Survival Mode
A single mom with her three daughters had been in survival mode for quite some time. This mother’s
spiral was overwhelming. Her constant struggle to get food and bedding caused her medical needs to be overlooked. When you don’t feel well, your job and school attendance take a direct hit. No work results in a downward spiral of lack of income. No income means no gas to be able to drive to work, not to mention paying for car repairs. The spiral is real.
Hope arrived. With a little help from Agape House, and a whole lot of grace from our heavenly father, a small amount of really necessary medical attention increased the ability to do well at school and she was able to consistently go to work. The spiral reversed. The upward spiral means the ability to pay for gasoline and car repairs. The stability in job attendance created a promotion and increase in pay.
Transportation is always a strong need in order to get to work and to doctor appointments. Agape House was able to help with some small car repair needs for this family. This was a significant boost in reversing the spiral for this single homeless mother.
This mother worked incredibly hard. She persevered. Agape House did give her a little help, a hand up, and hope, but she did the work. Not just a little work, she did a lot of work to start spiraling up instead of down. The girls began participating in school activities again, creating another huge sense of “normalcy”. The mother was able to secure a part-time job which eventually led into full-time employment. God’s grace is amazing! We are so very proud of this mother.
Coming out of survival mode means the ability
to look beyond today. Planning for the week
and the month, and looking ahead
into a glimpse of stability.
How to Reverse the Spiral
Families in this situation often experience similar needs. Medical needs, psychological needs, and healing from emotional pain are common when you are homeless. The families also need basic things that we often take for granted such as food, transportation, and a bed to sleep on. Families that work with Agape House work with a mentor and begin taking small steps to establish a sense of normalcy. Please consider partnering with Agape House through prayer, volunteering, and financial support to make a new ‘normal’ for families in Prescott.
