What is the biggest challenge you've faced lately?

At dinner the other night Samaritan House residents answered the following question, "What is the biggest challenge you've faced lately?"

• "Couldn't face anymore abuse and lies and finally chose to get out.  He forced me out of the house, I had to leave my two beloved dogs.  He has since left them at the pound and harassed me nonstop.  I am in the middle of a divorce and I am now homeless and find myself here at the Samaritan House.  Thankfully I am working full time.  The stress in my life is incredible.  Thank God I am sober and on my way back."
• "Handling my chronic pain."
• "Losing my pastor position and being estranged from my wife.  She is now working as a care taker for some elderly people."
• "Not drinking beer."
• "My health has kept me from being able to work any job for any length of time."
• "This winter weather that doesn't seem to go away... that and the housing slow down has left me out of work.  It's hard to wake up and see rain and even sometimes snow.  I know that this means it will be awhile before the job starts going again."
•   "My biggest challenge that I have faced lately ultimately is having to seek shelter here.  I have never experienced such things.  It has been a wake up call on my life.  It seems like my problems are minimal compared to some of the people who are here.  My boyfriend of almost four years has decided he does not want to reconcile.  I love him and it has been difficult, hurtful and sad.  It will be hard for me to start over at my age, get a job and rent a place for what I'll be making per hour.  My car is not working right and a medication that I need to take won't be here for another two months.  I have to figure out how to get that.  My boyfriend slept with my best friend and now all my friends are turning out to be his friends, so I guess I didn't really have the friends I thought I had.  That makes me sad and hurt.  My daughter sent me a letter and reminded me that after the rain there is a rainbow, to keep my hopes up and that she knows great things are coming my way.  I hope she is right."  
  

Ethan's Cookies

I thought you might enjoy seeing how well received Ethan's cookies were.

(See blog article of April 29th.)