S
he clung desperately to her daughters. She said people were encouraging her to give them up, but she wouldn’t budge. She said between sobs, “I just can’t do it.”
Domestic violence is scary and humiliating. It takes you to the point of believing that you’re no bigger than an amoeba. You lose yourself because for years your abuser has controlled your life with the drumbeat of telling you you’re worthless. Hanging onto your children is difficult. You’ve been told you’re not worthy of being their mother, and you don’t have the resources to give them even the basics of life. It takes enormous courage to leave your abuser.
For victims of domestic violence, a simple hand up can literally mean the difference between life and death. This week we put Rebecca and her two daughters into a hotel for two weeks to stabilize them and then determine exactly how we can best help them. Elk Grove is a compassionate city, and we are so grateful to partner with them in helping to rescue those who are drowning.
The day we talked to Rebecca she had lost hope. She told her babies she would find a solution by the time they finished the school year, but in reality, she had no answer. Yet it was a simple phone call from HART that was her hand up, pulling her and her girls up from the depths of despair. Yes, the hotel is critical for their survival but just as important is the compassion that HART and our city staff have shown this family.
Please join us in our efforts to show compassion to those who are desperate and struggling in life. Like Rebecca, sometimes it’s just a hand up that keeps them from drowning. Please give generously on May 7th, the Big Day of Giving