A long time ago my brother brought this girl home to be his wife, Anna. They've now been divorced for almost 20 years but I still keep in touch off and on with Anna. After all, she is the mother of my #1 nephew.
I don't know where to begin with Anna, except maybe at the here and now.
At the moment, she is living in one of those transient extended stay hotels. She's been there for about 6 weeks in a situation that makes me think of the Good Samaritan story in the Bible. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010:30-36&version=NLT
This Friday she gets to move into her own miracle apartment - a new complex, with awesome amenities that has adjusted rent to her income level!
She doesn't have anything much to start with, but things will come.
This latest situation all started around Thanksgiving. Through Facebook, I realized that her only local family had left town and it seemed Anna would be alone. I called her and was ready to abandon my own family to take her to dinner but a friend of hers had invited her to spend Thanksgiving, so she was good for the day.
Her living situation was a NIGHTMARE. With very little money, only social security disability, she'd taken a room for rent with people she thought she knew. They turned out to be crack users, would steal her med's and one night they had attached her locked door with a knife until the broke through. They went after her, but "something" kept them from following through.
The plumbing was broken. Their bathing involved bailing the tub, then boiling water.
Anna was born crippled and not expected to live. There have been complications with her health always. She's had a mild stroke, heart attacks, diagnosis of a brain tumor, some kind of lung disease, and more.
As I joined my family on Thanksgiving, my heart was apprehended by God's broken heart over Anna. She needed help. Big help.
...and she has been a high drama, high maintenance person who's not made wise choices for many years. The one's who perhaps should help her would not or could not. Reality was I had to do something. There was no one else.
I prayed for wisdom. You need lots of wisdom when facing an ocean of need. What do you tackle? What do you not?
I heard Father say "IF she is willing to leave the west side of town and cross the river to live, I'll take it as a sign that she believes I can help her. And I WILL help her." She wanted to stay on that side of town: her doctors were close, her car wouldn't make it across the bridges, it was cheaper to live - mostly it had become her prison and oddly, her comfort zone.
I offered to give her a break for a week and put her in an extended stay in Orange Park - she liked that. Then she's ask her doctors to expedite getting her into a nursing home.
I then told her what I'd heard as I prayed. I was surpised when she said "It's settled then. I'm following you." We got as much of her stuff as we could gather in our cars and crossed the river. She'd broke through her fear of driving her sad excuse of a car on the interstate that day.
Into the Value Place she went and over the past weeks, I have witnessed no less than Resurrection. She's transformed from a very difficult drama spaz , who talked non-stop on the verge of panic and wished for swift death into a joyful, hope filled, Bible confessing lover of His presence. She said the other day " I'm enjoying just being alive. "
In the Christmas Carol , Scrooge saying "Are there no workhouses,?" sounds like so many of us who have plenty. I looked into HUD vouchers, United Way assistance and every imaginable institution to seek resolve for Anna's living situation. I could not pay that hotel bill forever. Did you know that for any institutional help like she needed, there was a two year waiting period? Truth be told, I was hoping I could rid myself of this difficult chore by finding an institution I could pawn her off to.
Then I heard that Still Small Voice "Call apartments that begin with the word "Pine"". The next call I made was to Pine Meadows Apartments. After finding out their normal rent rates I said that's too high and quickly blabbed a short version of what had been going on. The gal said "It is a miracle that you called today! These apartments are never available! We have one on the first floor with rent proportionate to her income. Come tomorrow and we'll start the paperwork to get her in around the first of the year. "
I didn't really want to foot her hotel bill until then, but what alternative was there? None. By the way I didn't do all that myself. I had some help.
Anna is living evidence that God's Presence looks like multiple chances.
He is the Father who always looks for ways to get us back home.
She's been rescued before...from a guy who beat her to a pulp.
A very bad marriage to a "Christian" followed.
After that, alcoholism, accidents and major medical troubles.
But today - she's full of purpose and faith and joy. She believes again.
I've been a Christian for a long time. This was a rare time when I've co-labored WITH HIM. There has been so much grace, so much grace! It is undeniable that He is wild about Anna and my blessing her makes Him happy.
That friend that had her over for Thanksgiving has been overwhelmed with God's demonstration toward Anna. Her relationship with Jesus is growing as Anna ministers to her constantly.
This Friday Anna gets her apartment.
I am looking for help to do the things I was planning on doing:
-rent the Ryder truck,
-pick up donated furniture from the warehouse
-gather her other belongings from the old landlords ( with bodyguards and evangelists)
-buy a bed (if one isn't donated)
God is faithful.
About her car - Oh! Does she need a better one. She takes her friend who is poorer than she
to the doctor with a smashed up little thing that goes forward only up to 40 mph. . . but that's another day.
