Beginnings and Endings
The week I became the Executive Director at Collins Home Family Ministries, we signed in a three-year-old girl and her two-year-old brother. These two young children and their mother had been evicted from their apartment. We could all see this young mom’s anguish; it was clear she had nowhere else to turn. There were tears, words of reassurance, and, for a moment, silence in our office. The power of God was palpable to everyone in the room.
During weekend visits, we had the opportunity to know and love Mom. She worked two jobs, walked from the room she was renting to see the kids, and shared her life and story with us. It was like having a front-row seat to God’s grace. At only twenty-two, this young mom sacrificed herself for the dream of having a better life for her family. It was impressive!
In early December, I met with Chris, the Executive Director at the Dream Center. While I knew their cycle for accepting moms for this cycle had already closed, I talked about our sweet Mom and her two wonderful kids. As it turns out, one of the families who had been selected dropped out that day. There was an opening, and I knew in my heart everything was about to change.
In January, Mom went to the Dream Center to start their program, and in four weeks, her two kids would join her there. On campus, we all braced for the day these two babies would leave us. I continued to remind our team and myself that this is what we are here for. We aspire to see children and families flourish in Christ-centered homes; in this case, that is precisely what was happening.
So, if this is what we were built to do, why did my heart ache and tears flow, and why did I leave a conference early so I could be a part of their goodbye? It is simple: They had become a part of our family. As supporters of Collins Home Family Ministries, they are a part of your family, too! Thank you for allowing us to say yes to a mom, provide shelter for her children, strengthen families, and stabilize our entire community.
-Kelly Ross