"There is a coldness that surrounds me, as the shivers ripple through my body. It's voice makes me go numb, it's footsteps makes me tuck as far inside of myself as I can go. I am afraid. No matter where I go everything turns to glass, it is coming, and no matter how loud I scream, no matter how fast I run, no matter what space I crawl inside, it is there. It always seems to find me. How do I escape, how can I finally be free. I have been out of it's grasp in the physical world for years now, but it is still here, it is the monster living inside of me."
Many of the women and children who come to Acres of Hope have experienced in their life extreme abuse and trauma. The staff and volunteers work diligently to break down the barriers in the physical realm of their lives and the lives of their children. Yet there are barriers that are unseen that must be torn down as well. For many of the families at Acres of Hope they are fighting to overcome the unseen monsters of their past. The abusers who took advantage, brought harm, or showed ultimate neglect, and emotional abuse to them. As Acres of Hope staff and volunteers dive deep to care for our families we recognize there is more than what is seen that has kept these families in homelessness. We realize we must help them break through and deal with the monsters within. We must be willing to sit and listen to enter in to the inner sanctuaries of our families and seek to step inside the painful walls of their hearts, and reveal to them they are no longer alone. We must be willing to help them walk out the doors and escape the trauma within.
Through prayer, the revelations that come from daily bible studies, and a listening ear, women and children are able to unpack the lock box of secrets they have been carrying around that was weighing down their hearts. They are able to experience the freedom of hearing you were a child, you were vulnerable, most importantly, that abuse was not your fault. Acres of Hope staff and volunteers help them deal with the root issues going on so that our families can learn to step out of the trauma within and truly live, truly have hope.
When our families are able to let go of the weight on the internal, they can begin to take responsibility for the choices they are now making in the physical world around them. Each day Acres of Hope fights to bring freedom through the willingness to come close enough to listen, and proclaim truth into the lives of our families.
For the women and children who are facing monsters and seeking to escape the trauma within, we are here. You can join us in the fight. Donate, volunteer, become a mentor, they need you.
To help Acres of Hope families escape the monsters and escape the trauma within:
Visit: acresofhopeonline.org or Call: -530-878-8030