November 26, 2024

Brooklyn still remembers the first time she realized that not everybody lived in shelter.

She was 8 years old and went to a friend’s house to play. When she discovered her friend was not constantly moving from place to place each day, she was shocked. For as long as she could remember, she and her family never had a place to call home.

Brooklyn’s mother suffered with mental illness and had difficulty keeping a job. This also meant she was unable to keep up with bills or pay rent on time. Because of that, Brooklyn, her mom, and her older sister didn’t have an apartment or home to live in. Instead, they stayed in a different place every night. Sometimes they could stay with friends, but that never lasted long. Usually they stayed in shelters.

Brooklyn’s mom told her to keep their living situation a secret. And once Brooklyn realized that the way her family was living wasn’t typical, she was too embarrassed to tell anyone about it anyway.

In addition to the unstable living situation, Brooklyn faced other challenges. Her mom couldn’t afford things like new clothes or school supplies. Brooklyn was often made fun of for her limited and shabby wardrobe. And it was hard to keep up in school when she didn’t have most of the basic items to stay on top of homework. Even if she did have the supplies she needed, Brooklyn was often too concerned with where she would be sleeping each night to even think about school.

When Brooklyn’s sister started high school, she decided to move in with her boyfriend’s family. Brooklyn was devastated. She was used to seeing her sister every day and relied upon her for comfort. She decided she was fed up with her family’s unpredictable lifestyle. All she wanted was a steady place to call home.

One day after school, Brooklyn decided not to meet her mom. She was a little afraid of the consequences, but more angry than scared. She wandered the streets, even after it got dark. She wasn’t sure if her mom even noticed she was gone or if she was looking for her.

Fortunately, a police officer found Brooklyn before anything happened to her. Brooklyn was worried that she was in trouble. But instead, the police officer had a solution to her problems: Mercy Home. He explained that it would be a safe place to go home to each day. He also assured Brooklyn that our Home could provide her mother with resources to find a more stable living situation for herself. Brooklyn knew she needed a real place to call home and was ready to move in right away.

But that didn’t mean the transition was easy. Brooklyn was both happy and relieved to be at Mercy Home. But there was a lot to get used to. She never had a schedule to adhere to before. Nobody ever expected her to do chores or complete her homework. And she never even had a room of her own before.

But after an adjustment period, Brooklyn began to thrive. She realized how much she loves to learn and looks forward to going to school each day. Her enthusiasm matches her progress—her grades have steadily improved since coming to Mercy Home!

Most importantly, Brooklyn now has something that no child should ever be without: a place to call home. We are so grateful for your prayers and support of Mercy Home’s children!

Please note: Because we care deeply about protecting our children’s privacy, the names and certain identifying details in this story have been changed.