August 2012 Newsletter

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Homeless To Harvard

Chenelle entered the Mission hobbling on a broken foot and stumbling in life. Today she has physically mended and is soaring with new hope like never before. She is pictured here graduating from Umpqua Community College with honors. And she has received a letter of acceptance to the prestigious, Ivy League school, Harvard University. She had the ability, she just needed the right environment to give her the opportunity.

Circumstances were never entirely stable for her, and they were degrading. One day a dysfunctional and abusive living situation sent Chenelle running from her home in fear. Yet, she was not ready to sever relationships, not emotionally or financially ready for independence. She went to her special place, the garden, to take her frustration out working there. Still she was not safe there either. She was chased yet again, this time tripping in a hole, literally breaking her ankle. She returned with a cast on her foot more vulnerable than before. There was no one to believe her, no place to go and no relief in sight. She said, “I was scared out of my mind at the preconceived stereotypes of what homeless women were like.” But when enough was enough, even the misconceived fear of a homeless shelter was a welcomed and much appreciated alternative. Her life had forever changed, her identity was developing anew. She sat quiet, not really listening, feeling punished. Weeks went by. School was the only thing, she said, that kept her sane. So she poured herself into her studies.

Joy and laughter began to return to Chenelle during the Christmas season at the Mission’s Samaritan Inn. Children laughed and played. They sang carols and decorated. A rather bubbly, yet cautioned, personality began reemerging in her. Confidence was returning, helped greatly by achieving success at school and being encouraged here. Chenelle was a student senator at UCC and took law classes. She had made such friends here that they role-played mock trials, pretending to be defendants, plaintiffs etc. It was fun and educational. Homeless women, that she thought she would be afraid to be around or become one herself, had become a part of her success both personally and academically.

A spiritual awakening was also developing, a renewal of her relationship with Jesus, started as a child. Chenelle said, “I have had the best walk with God since I got here. My mom went to church and would take me with her. But, I never really took the time to read the Bible. Church had been a negative experience. If I did something wrong, we would go to church; it was like a punishment. At first, I didn’t listen at the Mission either, because I thought I was being punished.” She thought that having to go to the Mission and its church-like services were that same kind of disciplinary action. But after a few weeks, she realized that her conviction was one of truth not condemnation. Chenelle had been set free. She said, I drew closer to God, reading the Bible, talking and praying to God. He was telling me where to go and what to do next, whereas before I couldn’t even hear what He was saying.”

Chenelle set her goals high, maybe wanting to prove her worthinness. Now in her mid-twenties, she had worked a few years and toyed with community college, then was devastated by becoming homeless. She said, “I’ve been looking at Harvard for a long time. I never thought that I would ever get in.” She has been accepted and is working on getting scholarships with a fiery determination. We have verified her student status at Harvard; although, she still has some nontraditional student requirements and costs to meet. She said, “The Mission is the best place I have been able to live throughout my life. I am really grateful to be here.”