Dear Bethany Family,
This year has probably been the most difficult year any of us can imagine in our lifetimes! We are facing the new coronavirus pandemic which makes us nervous around even our family members! We have seen with stark clarity how our people of color are even more susceptible to the disease than others, and are less safe on our streets, and even in their own homes. The divisions in our nation have become greater. We are facing an economic disaster. How are we to face this terrible crisis in our nation and around the world?
We at Bethany stand against racism of any kind, and are horrified at white people coming out with machine guns to public spaces to protest wearing a mask or having businesses being closed down for public safety. We believe we must stand together and respect each other, work to end this coronavirus pandemic, and work to end the pandemic of white supremacy, racism and homelessness in our nation, and around the world. We believe that in spite of the challenges our families face at this time in our nation’s history, they can overcome them. We believe that respect, a recognition of our families’ strengths, emotional support, and a safe affordable home can provide them with the foundation they need to get through this crisis.
We have seen our families help each other with information about where they can get extra food, money to pay their rent if they are falling behind, and permanent housing when it is time for them to move on. A few of our families have been able to get new jobs even during the pandemic. Many are still searching for jobs to replace those they lost at the time of the pandemic. Some are continuing with their training for work. Some are still struggling with addiction, which has been made worse with the lockdown.
We have continued to be blessed by the partnership with our church across the street, The Anacostia International Assembly of God, which has provided our families with food, and with St Teresa of Avila which is a few blocks down from us. The latter relationship developed over a year ago when Kip, our maintenance person, saw a woman who was very pregnant with her young son and daughter walking up the street outside of our building. We discovered that she was homeless, from Honduras, and was expecting to deliver her baby very soon. The board and staff met with her and Reverend Monsignor Ray East from St. Teresa of Avila shortly thereafter and decided to have her move in to one of our empty apartments, with as much support as the church could provide. We have enjoyed seeing her children grow and becoming fluent in English in just a short time! Her baby was born just after she moved into our apartment and is now showing us she can walk! In speaking with her recently she shared the problems she and her children faced with domestic violence in her country. “The children were there in the hard times with me. When I came here it was hard. I was lonely with my two kids and pregnant, but God was being so nice with me. Now the children are doing well and are enjoying school, thank God. God had us by the hand.”
Would you support us at this very challenging time when several of our families can not pay rent, and will you support our Honduran family who has suffered so much, but is now stabilizing here? Your generosity has kept us going in the past and will continue to give us and our families hope in the midst of the biggest crisis of our lives.
Thank you for your partnership, your love and your prayers!
Blessings,
Carol Bullard-Bates
Vice President