Back to Minnesota

Today, Sonja left us a note on the table at Marina's house and has made the decision to leave the #life4homeless program through the Rejoice in Hope Foundation.

We have realized that even though there may be a desire for many, the work that it takes to truly get off the street and become self-sufficient again is much more difficult that most people think. Change is challenging and it takes recognizing the problem and extreme self-discipline, desire and dedication to create a new foundation for life so that going back to the street is not an option.

We have seen that most people will give up before they even build the foundation to become self-sufficient or if it takes work to see results. The Rejoice in Hope Foundation can do their best to provide what is needed for each individual but without a willingness to take those opportunities, the Rejoice in Hope Foundation is limited in what we can do. As an organization committed to serving one person at a time, we are also learning too as we serve.

In Sonja's case, after 3 weeks in the program, she had a hard time with having a structured schedule and made the choice to leave. Though she did not finish the program, with what she has learned, she was able to make the difficult decision not to marry someone who may not enrich her life and chose to try and be a mother to her two youngest children. Sonja is staying off Skid Row and will be returning to Minnesota. The children are now adopted to another family and she has never seen her daughter in person, only through pictures and communicating via phone and text. Her son is also having behavioral disorders at school. Sonja has seen how life can be off the street and we pray that she will not allow herself to go backwards but only forward.

We feel this too is a success.

We would like to request our ambassadors to please refrain from contacting or responding to Sonja via social media since she has made the decision to leave the program and does not need a hand out. She needs to focus on her family and life in Minnesota.
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We will continue to pray for Sonja and pray for the next woman or child who needs to be served. #life4homeless

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