I wanted to keep all
of you updated with the progress of our May
project, Adopt a Mom. I am
astounded at the support and willingness to
help that has come from the Charleston
community. The volunteers who signed up, the
emails and donations have been nothing short
of amazing.
Saturday at the
Ravenell home, I met with Frances, home
improvement crew leader, Kimberly,
landscaping crew leader, Kim, co-project
manager, and Carolyn, one of our volunteers.
Carolyn took Mom to help her update her
resume; Kim took the kids to the park on a
photo shoot while the rest of us surveyed
the house more closely. When I first
decided to take on a project like this I had
envisioned helping someone in need, to do
what we could but never did I imagine the
magnitude of what has transpired so far. I
realized yesterday while I stood in their
home that our collective efforts and actions
would forever change their lives.
I was moved to tears.
I knew we had picked a
family who was in need, but I hadn't
prepared myself for how deeply-rooted that
need truly is. I opened up their
refrigerator (which has no handle) and for a
family of seven I found one head of lettuce,
condiments, 5 eggs, and a pint of milk. They
have 4 plates and forks that they share
among them. In the children's rooms they
have very few clothes and what clothes they
do have lay in a pile in the bottom of the
closet because they have no hangers, or rod
to hang them. The boys were ironing their
shirts before they left, then I realized
why.
I can count on one
hand the number of toys I found. In a home
with girl's ages 4, 10 and 11 you would
expect to see toys everywhere - but there
isn't. The carpets are horrifying and most
likely a main contributor to the boys having
asthma.
The beds
have 3 mattresses stacked - mattresses that
are bent, sagging, and dirty and were
supported by cinder blocks. Most of the beds
lacked proper bedding.
I tell you all this
because the need for this family is greater
than initially thought. I need help. I don't
want to do this half way for this family; I
want to give them a chance to build a better
life.
The
one thing this family does not lack is love
and laughter. When I viewed the photos of
the kids that Kim took, they were all
laughing and smiling - there is so much joy
and cohesiveness among them. If there is
anything that we all could learn from the
Ravenells is the importance of joy no matter
what your situation.
Theresa Ravenell had
expressed to Carolyn as they sat and talked
about her job skills and such that one of
the things she and the kids do every Sunday
is watch Extreme Home Makeover show. She
said the kids have wanted to write to the
show, hoping someone would come help them.
Their prayer is
answered.
We may not be the
Extreme Home Makeover show, but we are
pretty darn close because we are their
community, and it won't stop at May 25th -
When we step up to help someone like
Theresa, we take a step towards extending
our "family".
Because of what I
witnessed yesterday I have changed my
strategy, my plan, my priorities somewhat -
I've raised the bar, I had to. I need YOU -
I need donations (see list to the left), I
need money (whatever isn't donated I need to
buy), I need your sweat (I need at least 6
more volunteers).
The countdown has
begun ... life changes for the Ravenells in
28 days. I have 3 weeks to pull this all
together ...
Please, again - spread
the word. After the last email I had many
people who I didn't know, or even have on
the mailing list who stepped up to the plate
- they are building beds, donating plants,
couches, night stands etc. Those connections
only happened because a few of you forwarded
my email to them. So please.... keep the
circle moving and expanding...
