Walking Away is Not an Option
December 10, 2020
Rose got to know Veronica three years ago when a security guard at her company mentioned Veronica needed a ride home from the hospital and no family members were available to help.
Rose agreed to drive Veronica home, and that day they began a journey which would last long beyond the ride.
“I soon discovered I was taking her to an apartment that was bug ridden, and the landlord was insisting she pay a $500 water bill, even though she was in the apartment for less than a month,” Rose recalled. “I just felt like I needed to help her get out of that situation.”
Over the next few months, Rose found a better place for Veronica and her three sons to live, work for her boyfriend, and new friends at Calvary Chapel, in Chadds Ford, PA. Several months later, one of those friends, Lauren, stepped up to help Veronica when she was assaulted by her boyfriend. Lauren provided clothes, babysitting, and—along with Rose—another reliable presence in Veronica’s life. The church also surrounded the family with support.
But the crises continued. Veronica’s sons had asthma-related emergencies, there were several brief reconciliations with the boyfriend, and additional stresses that accompany single motherhood which exhausted Veronica’s informal support system. Rose and Lauren realized they were in over their heads. Walking away, however, was not an option.
Recognizing that Veronica needed a sustainable solution, the church reached out to Bridge of Hope early this year to launch a formal Neighborhood of Support. Now with a structured plan and a team of Bridge of Hope-trained Neighboring Volunteers (Rose and Lauren among them), Veronica is moving steadily toward her goal of independence and long-term stability.
“When you neighbor with someone who has experienced trauma in their life in any way, you have to understand they need support and the example of Jesus, and what He has done for us,” said Lauren. “You don’t give up on them.”
“We’re the family she doesn’t have,” said Rose, her voice halting with emotion. “It has to be overwhelming to be a single mom, with three young boys, venturing alone on this road. I’m just so thankful for where we are at this point.”
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