A day at the shelter 

A day at the shelter

Please forgive me for being so lazy but I am copying and posting my latest entry. I have a group of women I am extremely close with (all of us were Due in December 2003) and have known for some time now. We share anything from the mundane day to day ongoings in our lives to the biggest drama filled stories you can imagine. So I am cross posting, from there to here.


"Went to the shelter today and good news! The airlines and buses are offering free oneway tickets now! Turns out the boyfriend's Aunt passed away (they were waiting to see what was going on with her before they could make any decisions to go anywhere). All of his family left to go to the funeral from what I gather but my family was still there. I have to say it's getting harder and harder to go but at the same time when I'm not there I want to be there and once I am there I don't want to leave. I am so attached to my Dwight. I so badly want to bring him home and rescue him. Today was especially hard. All the kids (all 4) are all recognizing me now and hug me and want to be carried (the 2 younger ones) all the time. I stayed tonight for about 3 hours. At one point I was walking holding hands with the youngest one (becky who is 1 month younger than Ava) and another little girl who is a few months older than our babies (referring to all the babies on my message board that were born around the same time Ava was). I told the other little girl she had to stay upstairs while I was looking for Becky's mom downstairs. I didnt know where this little girls mom was so I didnt want to take her out of that area (all of upstairs is pretty much a play area and believe it or not everyone just lets their kids run everywhere upstairs while they are downstairs...no supervision whatsoever by the parents). Anyhow the little girl started getting upset because she wanted to come downstairs with me. A redcross worker saw her and asked her where her mommy was and she looked up at me, one finger hanging out of her mouth and pointed with other to me and said, "Mommy". My heart broke. She was waiting for me when I came back up and just kept wanting me to carry her.

Fight after fight broke out tonight, I think peole are getting stressed and depressed. One elderly lady said, "I am sitting here and waiting and waiting but I don't know what I am waiting for". Their whole future changed by just one storm. I feel especially bad for the elderly who dont have any family. The people who are young will evenually get jobs but who knows what will happen with the sick and elderly.

Today I couldnt hold back tears when I was in there. A gospel group came in today along with a few preachers and for anyone that doesnt know how a black church does it, you need to go to one! I cried as they sang Amazing Grace and This little light of mine. My kids (Dwight and Helen) got up there on that microphone and sang thier little hearts out. They waved to me from up there and I felt so proud, like they were mine. Through all this hardship here are all these people in a shelter praising God. Hot tears went streaming down my face. Volunteers and evacuees together sat hand in hand to worship and sing. Every problem I have been having was so trivial at that point.

I played with the kids football, jumprope (even double dutch!) Uno and did some puzzles. I wiped Becky's nose (the youngest one) since she has a bit of a cold and more that anything just hugged them. Everytime I sat down on the floor about 4 or 5 kids I had never even met would pile up on me and hug me. It felt so good, but it hurt all the same.

Finally at 9pm I figured I should go. I gave Dwight my address and phone number and told him he better write me in the event that they leave before I can say bye. He said he would write me tonight. I asked him if he had any stamps and he said no so I told him I would bring him some this weekend. Then I told him I had to go and he said, "right now?". I told him yes and he looked down and I could see the disappointment. I told him I would be back and hugged him. He asked if he could come home with me. Ugh, my breaking heart! I told him no, he had school and so he asked if he could come stay the weekend with me. I told him if his mom said it was okay then he could come stay the night one weekend but she had to agree. He said ok and we hugged again. I told the other kids goodbye and got about half way to the door and turned around and saw little Jeremiah following. He is the second youngest (just turned 4). I asked him where he was going and he said, "I'm goin home with you!". I said, "You can't sweetie. Go back with your brother now." He wouldnt go so I had to take him back over to Dwight and tell Dwight to hold him so I could leave. I had to plug my ears as I walked away because I could hear him crying, "LET ME GO!!!! I WANNA GO!!!". I had to tell myself, "don't look back, keep walking". I miss those kids already and I have only been home for about an hour and a half. It's almost like I have this bond with Dwight like he is my own. I want to hold him and protect him. They are all such good kids.

As I stood there today watching them praise God and dance I realized this is a memory I will forever have with me and I thank God for that."


Now a message to whoever is thinking I am not so bright for giving Dwight my address. Keep it to yourself. I don't want to hear it. Until you go in there and are touched by such a special individual, dont say anything. I am a mother, an adult and a strong believer in God. I make sound and justifiable decisions and this is one of them. Yes, they have now had all their shots and have been checked out through the medical team. This is a child I am opening my home to for a weekend, nothing more, no adults, just a child. Many people are taking whole families into thier homes, if I didn't have children I would be doing the same. Seriously, I DON'T want to hear it, from ANYONE. Thank you for respecting my decision.

Love
Rhobin