A Center of Hope

Jason • July 6, 2021

Changing Lives

Sometimes we're reminded in a profound way that what happens through the Center of Hope is life changing. As servants of Christ Jesus we're called to follow him and in doing so participate in his redemptive work; Everything good that happens here happens because of HIM and we are blessed just to be a small part of that wonderful work. The following letter was sent a while back. Each of you who has contributed time, money, resources, and prayer has been a part of the blessings described!

"So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us. So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."

2 Corinthians 5:17-20

I'm not sure who reads this, or if anyone does, but I truly needed to type this out, so even if it's like journaling, it's worth something for me. The Center of Hope, has been to my family exactly what the title claims to be. A Center of Hope! My family has been struggling in almost a constant way, since fall of 2019, we lost my Nana and she was the glue to our family. Summer of 2020 I lost my father. Fall of 2020 my fiancé lost his job after his hours almost constantly being cut. I sought out help from the Center of Hope for help with diapers, wipes, baby clothes, and Food! I am by no means claiming that the Center of Hope has fixed every single problem that I have ran into since then, but I wanted to share some of the blessings that I have had that truly feel I was blessed with because of the Center of Hope or the incredible humans who work there! When I came in to fill out an application in September 2020 Jenifer said to me during that process how much she thought government housing (Dauner Haus) would be so much better for my family. I had been on that waiting list for 3 years, didn't feel like we were ever going to get in. She said it. October 3rd I got a call that our application was pulled. A little over a month later we were moved in! Our first Thanksgiving in our new home, a WHOLE meal was dropped off to us! We ate a beautiful Thanksgiving Feast, thanks to the Center of Hope! Mid December my niece was in a car accident I got the call while on my way to the food pantry, I didn't know the extent of the accident, but although it was a drive through only, a phenomenal woman prayed that "all it would take is 2 Tylenol to heal her" she did wear a neck brace, but to cure her pain 2 doses of Tylenol was what it took! My car had been on the fritz for sometime, because of our financial situation, Jenifer said "please dear god let her car make it until next year (2021)" it did it did make it until February! We have been blessed by the stimulus checks to be able to start looking for a new vehicle for our family! Yes all of these blessings are fantastic! During a global pandemic, and all the other everyday problems we have had something that remained constant! My son has had a nice dry butt, because if I'm low on diapers, all I have to do is call and they have them ready for us, almost every 2 weeks I have came to the Center of hope, and have been provided with food, more than just something to survive off of. We are offered foods that create beautiful meals that we actually enjoy eating! During the drive through only period, in one of my bags were some personal items, and one of them was Dove spray on deodorant, it may seem sooo small to others, but pulling that item out of the bag my eyes filled with tears! I have never had the money to afford that, since I was old enough to use deodorant, my mom had always struggled. The Center of Hope provides sooo much more than just survivability! They provide stability, they provide a warm smile, positive attitudes even when they are standing in the cold for who knows how long loading massive amounts of groceries in your car and never making you get out, every time I'm there someone prays for me and my family! I need the food, I need the diapers, but most of all I need these warmhearted individuals who legitimately make my life better everyday! I have been to quite a few pantries growing up, the food is normally things to help you to continue surviving. The Center of Hope provides things like coffee! That is such a luxury! Dog food, even my dog has benefitted from the Center of Hope! My goal of putting this all into words is to let these individuals that what they are doing is so much more than just providing food. I know I would never have the time to say this when I'm there because they are helping many people, not just me! This is just what it's done for my family, and it's much more than what I'm typing out. I want the people who continue to offer their time to serve people in need at the Center of Hope it does not go unnoticed, and it has meant so very much to me and my family! I cannot wait for the day that I can give back to this incredible Center of Hope who has given everything to my family through such a hard time, and I know that they are there for us, with warm hearts and smiles that can turn any rainy day into a nice warm meal, and piece of mind! So thank you, from the bottom of my heart, and if anyone does read this, I'm so sorry it was soo long, it honestly could be longer I have so many feelings about the wonderful blessings that have brought to my life because of the Center of Hope. But thank you for reading, and you can share this with the people that serve there if you desire. If you share it outside of those people I'd just rather my name be left out, for personal reasons, but Thank you!

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I recently had the opportunity to attend a week-long conference that addressed some difficult but vital topics—predators, pedophiles, human trafficking, and trauma. It was an intense week, but I had the privilege of learning from leading experts from across the state of Michigan. These experts specialize in areas such as criminal psychology, DNA technology, mental health, and forensic genetic genealogy. At times, the information was so dense I felt like my brain might explode! The most powerful presentations were from survivors of horrific abuse. These brave women shared their stories and have since dedicated their lives to giving victims a voice. One now advocates for justice as a district attorney, another leads a law enforcement team handling these cases daily, and one has become an author and speaker, traveling the country to inspire hope. Their courage and resilience deeply impacted me and changed the way I view my work. This conference wasn’t just an emotional experience—it was enlightening. I’ve always believed I approached my work at the Center of Hope without judgment, knowing that anyone who walks through our doors may be in a state of desperation or chaos. We’ve always extended grace, allowing people time to receive help before we start addressing the deeper issues that may be holding them back. But this week showed me that there are far more layers to trauma and healing than I ever realized. I learned how trauma affects the brain, not just for those who directly experience it, but for those of us who encounter it second-hand. This revelation brought to mind countless people I’ve met through the Center of Hope: the woman living with an alcoholic husband who was kind when sober but a monster when drunk, forcing her to seek help to feed her family; the man who quit his job to care for his terminally ill wife; the young mother navigating life with a husband suffering from PTSD after military service; and the woman who lost her mother and son within a week, paralyzing her with grief. These are the tales of people we encounter every day—people who look like everyone else but are struggling just to keep it together. This week made me realize just how many broken people walk among us. Everyone has a story, and often those stories are hidden beneath a brave face or a quiet smile. Society teaches us to suppress our pain, to keep moving forward without addressing the hurt. But what we don’t realize is that by doing this, we’re passing that pain down through generations. We’re taught that seeking help makes us weak, when in reality, it takes incredible strength to confront our trauma. What I know now is that trauma produces not just negative emotions, but physical and mental responses when our ability to cope is overwhelmed. It’s not something we can control, but there are ways to work through it and heal. Thanks to this conference, I now have more resources to support those seeking help at the Center of Hope. One of the saddest truths I learned is that many people don’t even recognize that they’ve experienced trauma. They believe it's just life, and unfortunately, many in my field see them as a mess, undeserving of grace. I went into this conference believing I was already doing my best to help others. Sometimes, I’ve gotten frustrated when I suspected someone was scamming us, and I’ve followed procedures to cut ties when needed. But now, I find myself thinking differently. I can’t look at someone seeking help without wondering what they’ve endured—whether childhood trauma, a troubled home life, or secrets they’ve kept that shaped the course of their adult lives. I’ll be more intentional about creating a safe space, giving people the grace and patience they need as we work through the layers of their pain. If you’re reading this, I encourage you to approach the people in your life with the same perspective. Whether it’s your family, neighbors, friends, or even the grumpy guy in the grocery store, remember that everyone has a story. Everyone is fighting battles you may not see. This conference also opened my eyes to the importance of caring for myself. Like so many in law enforcement, healthcare, social work, ministry, and teaching, I’ve experienced secondary trauma. I used to think it was a sign of weakness or being overly emotional, but I now know it’s simply how the brain responds. Moving forward, I’ll be prioritizing my mental health so that I can continue to serve others effectively. The older I get, the more I realize how much I still have to learn. I’m grateful for the opportunity to attend this conference—the one I didn’t think I had time for but that ended up changing my life and the way I approach my work with the community.