photo by Andrea Tummons on Unsplash
My eyes filled with tears. I was listening to a stranger on the phone who had the softest voice, sharing her beautiful story, her acts of kindness towards another person who was suffering domestic abuse and needed a way out.
Anita had registered as a Host with Safe Haven, but when she received that first phone call, a part of her felt a little apprehensive. The space in her home is only occupied by herself and her daughter. But knowing that there was a woman who needed assistance, and that she could help, the apprehension soon faded, and the nervousness was gone.
Over several weeks the companionship between the new friends flourished. They welcomed their Guest into their home with open arms. Each passing day gave the woman the chance to escape, to feel safe, to start her on a journey to be free with new beginnings.
Although she was helping someone else to heal, the chance to assist a person in need was also good for the souls of Anita and her daughter. She shared with a heart full of love that the woman was now settled into her own place and is continuing with small steps to move on with her life and be free from control and abuse.
THE SMALLEST ACT OF KINDNESS IS WORTH MORE THAN THE GRANDEST INTENTION
Anita shared with me that they still keep in contact with their Guest and new friend, and that they have a coffee date and a catch up on the weekend, which she was really looking forward to.
If we saw someone drowning, our instinct would be to immediately do whatever we could to save them and reach out to them to pull them to safety. It’s a natural human instinct; we would just react to the situation to want to save another.
Sadly, we cannot see women and children who are drowning in abuse in the same way, as this is something that happens away from our sight. And unlike the person drowning, a woman in an abusive relationship finds it hard to cry out.
We do know however that this does happen EVERY SINGLE DAY, but there is a way we can save them.
When I heard this story, I thought to myself, this is the epitome of everything that Safe haven community stands for: having compassion, having a place in your heart, having room in your home.
If there is Room in your Heart and you do have room in your home, why not consider becoming a Safe Haven Community Host. Give us a call and let's chat.
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