During a fun discussion about memories and highlights at the mission, a couple of mentors along with the Executive Director were asked to just name off some memorable things that come to mind. We stopped at 20.
1. The excitement of a new job.
2. The look on someone’s face when they see their hard earned money begin to accumulate in a savings account.
3. Being in the delivery room with a resident and witnessing childbirth for the first time.
4. Children on Christmas morning.
5. The tooth fairy.
6. Easter egg hunts.
7. Eating lunch at school with elementary residents.
8. Baptisms
9. Taking a road trip and experiencing seeing the ocean with those who’ve never seen it. Crabbing and fishing trips.
10. When a resident finally gets the medical care they’ve needed for so long.
11. Someone purchasing a car for the first time and paying cash for it with money they earned and saved.
12. Teaching someone to drive/ drivers licenses!!
13. Hearing residents sleep soundly and feeling thankful for the opportunity to help.
14. Literally seeing lives rebuilt before your eyes and listening to their testimonies.
15. Celebrating sobriety.
16. Watching a resident sign the lease to a home/ apartment and then setting up housekeeping. (Even better....when they return as volunteers.)
17. Planting and harvesting in our back yard garden.
18. Hearing these words, “I am doing better here at Open Hearts than I have ever done in my whole life.”
19. The overwhelming support from the community that we experience on a regular basis.
20. Residents getting GEDs, or fainally realizing their dream of allying and being accepted into college. ... See more