Recently I was blessed to be welcomed into the home of our most recent graduate. The mom eagerly invited me inside. As we entered she shared excitedly all about the details of the apartment. She pointed out that it was simple and basic but the point she kept repeating was “but it’s ours!!” Her enthusiasm for the space was surpassed only by her sons who couldn’t wait to show their friends from Family Promise their room.
As we were getting ready to head back to the Day Center she told the other Family Promise guests that they had to come over for dinner sometime. She said “we don’t have a kitchen table, but the Spanish tile on the floor is real nice and I’ll find a place for us to eat”, she also assured me that she was going to go through training to become a Family Promise volunteer.
This family did not have an easy road through the program but now well-deserved pride in their successes. What is even more beautiful to me is the spirit of hospitality that was modeled for them by all the people involved in Family Promise is being put into practice.
The whole encounter served as a reminder to me that although the program can be difficult for families the success and pride taken in completion is well worth it! Family Promise continues to give this family and many others a fresh start to regain their independence.
It’s Ours – by Becky Peters
