Mrs. R is not only an incredible woman when it comes to community organizing/outreach, being resourceful, and making things happen. She is a woman who loves home design and her home is one that is difficult to work with and quite small. She loves the colors purple and red. She loves paintings and bright colored drapes. But most of all....she loves a home that feels like home.
With her busy days, she would love to just come home and feel relaxed and happy to be home. Instead, she feels uncomfortable and tired of having no space to breathe between her three kids, herself, and her husband-it is quite a tight squeeze. She helps so many other people, but she doesn't have her own space to breathe and reboot.
With this conversation, I could not help, but feel empathy for her. The times when I stay with my Mom, I feel uncomfortable and completely unwelcome by my brother. "Home" does not feel like "Home." It's a horrible feeling and no one should ever have to feel that way. While she has a happy family and a good relationship with her husband and kids-it is more of just the exterior that needs to be cleaned up. I made some suggestions on how to create more space in the house, colors that would brighten up the rooms. Fresh paint and a few nice wall hangings or paintings can make such a difference.
Unfortunately, Mrs. R feels that her house needs more than just some fresh ideas inside rather she just wants a new one. The house is quite small with a couch hardly fitting in the living room area. The one she has does not have any springs and has been stained from years and years of use. The children have hole's in their mattresses with little space to walk let alone play.
It's been 12 years of living in her house and she prays for something new.
With all her participation in the neighborhood, she should have opportunity to move into another house. All the houses are given by the government with no payment required. She is the one running the medical clinic out of her tiny living room. It doesn't even make sense to have a space that small for medical purposes. Sometimes she has people lining up outside her house at night. It's just such an unfortunate situation.
When I watch her speak about her dreams of having a new house, I get tears in my eyes with her simple requests. She is not asking to move out of her community, but she just wants some more space. Space to design, space to put a couch, space for her children to sleep, space for her to do her work, and space to raise a family. As for me, I also want this space for her and I think about ways to make it happen. The reality is sitting in the back seat. The reality is tapping me on the shoulder. As I sit in the front seat, I am reminded that there is only one thing I can do to help her: I can pray. I dream about having her on one of our American TV home makeover shows. I imagine her face and how happy she would be, how happy the kids would be, but it's just far from reality. I believe that anything is possible to to the extent of God's grace.
Is it possible for her to get a new house one day? Yes, it is possible. Prayer is required and constant belief that change out of ones normal circumstances is possible.
Some people in Belize stay in poverty because they believe that is where they belong. They give up their hope and surrender to their culture's negative impact on their being, their strengths, values, and purpose. They are left behind to wonder and dream about what a life having money would be like. They don't wonder about purpose rather they focus on the materialism-how money would change their life for the better.
Money or a bigger house would not change Mrs. R's life in materialistic way. It would give her the comfort, the space, and the home that she deserves. She deserves to come home, sit on the couch, read a book, and feel relaxed. She deserves it more than anyone I know.
With her busy days, she would love to just come home and feel relaxed and happy to be home. Instead, she feels uncomfortable and tired of having no space to breathe between her three kids, herself, and her husband-it is quite a tight squeeze. She helps so many other people, but she doesn't have her own space to breathe and reboot.
With this conversation, I could not help, but feel empathy for her. The times when I stay with my Mom, I feel uncomfortable and completely unwelcome by my brother. "Home" does not feel like "Home." It's a horrible feeling and no one should ever have to feel that way. While she has a happy family and a good relationship with her husband and kids-it is more of just the exterior that needs to be cleaned up. I made some suggestions on how to create more space in the house, colors that would brighten up the rooms. Fresh paint and a few nice wall hangings or paintings can make such a difference.
Unfortunately, Mrs. R feels that her house needs more than just some fresh ideas inside rather she just wants a new one. The house is quite small with a couch hardly fitting in the living room area. The one she has does not have any springs and has been stained from years and years of use. The children have hole's in their mattresses with little space to walk let alone play.
It's been 12 years of living in her house and she prays for something new.
With all her participation in the neighborhood, she should have opportunity to move into another house. All the houses are given by the government with no payment required. She is the one running the medical clinic out of her tiny living room. It doesn't even make sense to have a space that small for medical purposes. Sometimes she has people lining up outside her house at night. It's just such an unfortunate situation.
When I watch her speak about her dreams of having a new house, I get tears in my eyes with her simple requests. She is not asking to move out of her community, but she just wants some more space. Space to design, space to put a couch, space for her children to sleep, space for her to do her work, and space to raise a family. As for me, I also want this space for her and I think about ways to make it happen. The reality is sitting in the back seat. The reality is tapping me on the shoulder. As I sit in the front seat, I am reminded that there is only one thing I can do to help her: I can pray. I dream about having her on one of our American TV home makeover shows. I imagine her face and how happy she would be, how happy the kids would be, but it's just far from reality. I believe that anything is possible to to the extent of God's grace.
Is it possible for her to get a new house one day? Yes, it is possible. Prayer is required and constant belief that change out of ones normal circumstances is possible.
Some people in Belize stay in poverty because they believe that is where they belong. They give up their hope and surrender to their culture's negative impact on their being, their strengths, values, and purpose. They are left behind to wonder and dream about what a life having money would be like. They don't wonder about purpose rather they focus on the materialism-how money would change their life for the better.
Money or a bigger house would not change Mrs. R's life in materialistic way. It would give her the comfort, the space, and the home that she deserves. She deserves to come home, sit on the couch, read a book, and feel relaxed. She deserves it more than anyone I know.
The prayer will continue for this lovely, amazing woman. PRIS
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