UN-
CONDITIONAL
Single parents –
With Gods help and through adverse circumstances we have managed to build support for the homeless, Single parents and hospital patients including the elderly. We have come a long way from an ACORN to an OAK.
You may be wondering why I am so passionate about helping others who are vulnerable, hurting, lost, lonely?
Having gone through many challenges as a single mother I saw the need for support for single-parent families who are doing the job of two. I saw that many times single parents and their children are marginalised being left on the fence. Sometimes sadly even looked upon as a burden or unworthy!
No single parent chooses to have the load of two on their shoulders and some are lucky to have a family to help shoulder that burden. . Throughout my time I have found that the simplest normal everyday tasks became very difficult for example every day to day practical things became a huge burden. Celebrations were a time of pressure to make sure they always had enough and if not feeling inadequate and responsible for that. There are many examples of why the job of two on the shoulders of one could be tough! This job isn’t meant for one. BUT TWO!! These examples are very mild to the harsh truth and I have kept it so as not to get too deep. I’d say that single-parent mother or fatherhood is the toughest job there is. A heart of a mother or father is to maintain stability for their children. The heart of any true parent is to enable them to succeed and proceed with you in the future.
I have seen a great lack of support both emotionally, physically and spiritually for single parents. However, there are thankfully some organizations that help out. Without those, we would not have made it! This is one reason we decided to make a difference. And support those in this category. I noted the need!
I have created this page to end the stigma that has been attached to single parents. to break the label connected to them and to show that circumstances change for everyone. That every single parent is different and none can categorize them all in one box. Some have families and support systems,. Some have their health and others have neither!
There are challenges many young men and women have found themselves in having a child and later finding their relationship broken. Some choose to reconnect with another person and form another family. While others stay the course and do so alone for the sake of the child. There is no quick fix on this other than to raise awareness for single-parent families and try to help them as much as a society can. My heart is for change. Change in the structure of society concerning them, change in peoples hearts and minds and change in the cycles. Some single parents are the most talented, gifted and intelligent people you can meet. Some are go-getters, game changers and world trailblazers and they are raising their successors who are even greater!
Homelessness– To understand the thoughts of someone who has no home, no fixed abode would be tough. Having been around the homeless serving with them for over 10 years I understand their need to be accepted and acknowledged.
Many go by day after day discouraged with a lack of encouragement, unloved and unsupported. In fact, often they feel faceless and nameless. They have either fled terrible circumstances Ie rape, molestation or even hardship finding themselves in a place of severe vulnerability. Many become accustomed to being outside and if they are housed find it tough with normal living or daily activities. These are too much to handle and I have seen the cycle spiralling out of control once again. Sadly a lot have substance abuse issues BUT NOT ALL..
These types of dependencies are established in forms of escapism and the ability to cope. The cycles are destructive and form even more problems from mental and physical health, self-harm and suicide.
What i have found on a good note is the street folk are like a family. They are very close-knitted. The majority look out for one another. From experience when they have been helped they do not take more than they need to leave for others, This is touching.
There is an exception of course with the odd person who would try to take more and sell it, so you have to be sharp and have a good network with you. Overall they are a family living outdoors who are in day to day survival mode.
The spiritual climate doesn’t help and often you see them attempt to get help only to either be refused, abused or to be put down by society once again. There are many cases where the ones who prefer to be rehoused are. But we have been commissioned to the ones that are not in housing and refuse that support at this time.
Two stories of the emotional impact of the street folk
NB: Safeguarding ( I would also like to stress that you must use wisdom in approaching anyone and i would not suggest you do that on your own if they are male )
There are many hot spots for the street folk in Liverpool and in one particular one, I saw many rows of tables bustling with people all enjoying their food in a commercial area. As i continued towards the end of the road and tables sat a lady who was curled up on the floor looking very withdrawn, thin and hungry. She was unloved and invisible to the masses of people who were sitting very close by. I approached and sat down with her, The people sitting at the tables started to notice and it drew attention., This was normally where she sat, i approached her and on sitting with her we chatted catered to her needs. Sometimes all it takes is one person to come alongside you. . As we chatted I noticed her face changing, she was confident and started radiating. She was worthy and was valued! After our encounter, it was time to leave until the next time.
Things like this matter! everything matters. How you treat others matters. How you acknowledge others matters. Love sees past the outside circumstance and goes straight to the heart, Love prefers another above thy self. I would like to encourage others to give that smile or a kind gesture to the one you see alone, hurting or vulnerable. EVERYTHING MATTERS. and EVERYTHING IS A SEED.
Another example- I saw a young chap, he was sat on the floor. A group of young girls stood mocking this man on their day out. As I watched I saw Him cover his head with his sleeping bag to get away from the jibes. Eventually, after their stay, they left and I felt the need to go and console him. I apologised on behalf of these young girls explaining they don’t understand and one day they will. . gave him love and time so he can regroup. He burst into tears and said. “I just don’t need it i have just lost my daughter”.
How sad this man had to endure taunts that day. To someone else that wouldn’t have meant a thing but to this guy living under those conditions day after day It was enough to make him want to hide away and cry.
This is a very mild example of the emotional turmoil homelessness causes emotional turmoil is just as real and tough as physical and spiritual.
Mankind is to be kind yet i have seen so many with seared hearts, On closing, we must never let what others do taint you!. LOVE never fails and as the song goes “ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE” This is true. It can change the narrative of a person’s life immediately with any hope to lasting fruit.
We have many loving kind people who do this kind of thing every day, they do so unseen, and for no recognition. These are the types of Heroes I love!
We shall talk about the elderly next time!
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JOSEPH UNIT- SOAR WATCHMAN MINISTRIES 