I recently took a trip to Washington D.C., New York, St Louis, and Illinois. In each area there was a common theme that caught my eye, it was tent cities. I call them tent cities because they are clusters of camps of about 3 or 4 people to a location. Some of these tent cities were hidden beneath bridges. Some were located outside of local public spaces. Some were just out on the public sidewalk. As I looked at these tent cities, I began to notice even more the trash surrounding some of people in tents. The rats that scurried through the camps. The rats that scurried over the people lying there. As I witnessed first hand the scene set before my eyes, all I could do to not cry was to remind myself of what is happening at Acres of Hope.
Some of the mothers that have come to us at Acres of Hope used to live in some of those same tents. Throughout the years you have heard a few of our mothers speak of those years. You have heard them share of the years of abuse, addiction, and generational disfunction that kept them there. The amazing panoramic perspective for me here at Acres of Hope, is I can clearly see that it is possible to turn a life around. Everyday at Acres of Hope that is exactly what is unfolding. I see Alumni in our community shopping, working, studying and worshipping. I am invited to their homes for coffee, or to simply catch up about how life is going. I see them and it hits me like a ton of bricks. This is not the same woman or child that walked through the doors of Acres of Hope. This is a family evolving into living out their true potential in this world. Looking at this family today, you would never have known they were ever homeless. There are alumni that have come so far beyond their days of living in tent cities. They were willing to turn their backs on the disfunction and do the hard work it took to live in the fullness of life they were meant to know.
Today as I write to you, the inspiration to continue pressing on is heavy upon my heart. We must continue to be a bright horizon for mothers and their children to leave the darkest places they have known, to experience hope. What is the alternative? Tent cities? Separated children from their mothers? Despair and hopelessness? Addiction? Death? The remedy to removing the darkness these families are seeking to be free from, is Acres of Hope. At Acres of Hope they will experience a freedom, home, renewal and most importantly hope towards a brighter tomorrow.
Will you partner with us in bringing more families hope?
Today you can donate to Acres of Hope to support the continued work of bringing mothers and their children hope.
To Donate visit: acresofhopeonline.org/givenow