Before I left the house in the morning, I had a clear thought. I needed to take time in my day and go by Alexa and Alli’s homes. These are two moms who we often lose connection with. One in particular had me worried by her lack of response. I informed my leaders that I was going to drive by their homes and if they were home and wanted to come to group tonight, I would bring them. There were many reasons why this pursuit could be messy.
What if they needed childcare?
What about food?
Will we have enough to feed everyone?
What message will them showing up with kids mean to those who we have told that there is no childcare for now? I still felt strongly that I was to proceed. That the Lord would work it all out. He is in the details.
Later that afternoon, I drove by Alexa’s and after knocking last week and not getting an answer, I began to wonder if she had moved. This time when I pulled up, her mom pulled in behind me. I was elated that they hadn’t moved! Alexa opened the door without me knocking because she was expecting her mother. She invited me in and spent time telling me what was happening in her world. Some good, some challenging. She was headed to work soon so I told her how proud I was of her for working hard, removing the distractions in her life and being such a great mom to her twin girls. It was a short sweet visit. As I apologized for stopping by unannounced. She said that is the best way. Her phone is not working and they just got done playing outside, so my timing was perfect. No, His timing was perfect!
Close to evening time, I drove to Alli’s apartment. I was looking for her roommate’s car but couldn’t recognize it with all the cars parked in front of the apartment. I approached and knocked once. Then knocked again. That time, I heard the dog come to the door then quiet down. I knocked a third time and didn’t hear the dog at all so I knew someone was home. I was trying to decide if I should knock a third time because by this time a neighbor had come out of her home to see who was knocking and went back inside. Before I could make the decision to knock a fourth time or leave, Alli’s roommate opened the door. I asked if Alli was there. She asked if I was her mother. When I said no, she said she had to kick Alli out. She then, saying “I’m not sure I should be telling you all this,” began to unfold an unbelievable story of violence and mental health issues between Alli and Alli’s boyfriend that led to her having to call the cops and eventually kick her friends out. She was distraught over it all, and especially upset today because she got a notice that not only does she owe rent for March next week, but she is also being fined by the apartment for the cops being called. If she does not pay the fine, she will be evicted. We talked about potential resources to get help with the rent. She mentioned calling churches.
I reintroduced myself to her and found out her name was Reahonna. I told her that I was trying to track down Alli because I work with pregnant and parenting teens. I was going to pick her up today and take her to group at the church our teen moms meet at. She said, she wished she had known about our program. I found out Reahonna is 18 and has a 6 month old daughter Paisley. She shared with me that her mother died in October 2019 and her father is in prison. “He chose alcohol over his kids”, she said. She is in DCS but is considered independent. When I asked if DCS could help with the fine, she said “her new caseworker gives her dirty looks.”
Reahonna works 12 hour shifts at a factory in Mooresville for little pay and drives Door Dash to bring in extra money. She wasn’t working at the factory today and her aunt was watching Paisley for her so she could figure things out. In fact, she told me she had just gotten back from a running food and was sitting in her car talking to God. She was asking Him for a sign, some hope to keep going. A while later I knocked on her door. She answered. We talked about how she lost her faith when her mom died and that she had gotten pregnant with Paisley on purpose soon right around that time. She feels like all her struggles are God testing her. I told her that God did not create this broken world, we messed that up. I told her that the beauty though is that God is with us as we navigate all this life throws at us, some of our doing, some not. I gave her a card with my name and number on it. I also wrote down the information for group. God did something and if it was just for today, that was enough, but if it was for something more, then that is great too. As I pulled away from her apartment, she messaged me. I responded thanking her for opening the door. She responded, “I’m glad I did.” God didn’t send me there for Alli today, He sent me there for Reahonna. The God who sees us!