Laura's Story

"The Lord remembers us and will bless us," Psalm 115:12a

Don't Forget Laura
“Don’t forget Laura.” That’s what several of the homeless people on my bus said as they pointed to a woman sitting alone in her walker in a distant parking lot.  Because of her disability, she couldn’t walk down the grassy hill to the usual pick-up area. I made an extra stop. As I loaded her walker on the bus, she introduced herself to me .  “Hi, I’m Laura.  I’ve got M.S.  That means I’m ‘Mighty Special’”.

One of my most eye-opening experiences in working with the homeless is the sheer number of people with both physical and mental disabilities.  Some say half of the homeless population is disabled.  I might say more.  That day, I loaded the twelve-passenger bus with two other walkers, helped three with canes, and one with an oxygen tank.

Laura’s multiple sclerosis symptoms started manifesting in her forties and changed the trajectory of her life.  In her past life, she raised three children, two of whom are serving in the military.  She now spends her nights at the Salvation Army Shelter and her days at Strong Life Rescue Mission.

One of the things that makes Laura ‘mighty special’ is her daily goal.  “I want to make one person smile each day.”  I told her that simply introducing herself as “mighty special” already made me smile.  Goal achieved.

Another thing that makes Laura ‘mighty special’ is a tattoo on the back of her neck:  Joshua 1:9.  It speaks to her life:  I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.

The tattoo originally said, “Josh”, the name of her second husband.  Things didn’t work out.  She didn’t want to go through life with his name on her neck, so she added a few characters. She transformed the reminder from a broken past into an encouraging message from the Lord:  be strong and courageous.  Little did she know how important this message would be as she started battling the symptoms of late-onset multiple sclerosis.

On that first day I met her, we called Social Security to check on the disability application she filed four years ago.  It was rejected and in review.  She's since connected with others at Strong Life who can help make sure all of the i's are dotted and t's are crossed in her next application.  Hopefully, Laura will soon have someone who makes her smile.

“Don’t forget Laura”. In other words, don’t forget those who have disabilities, especially those who are presently without a home.

(Above is an excerpt from Font of Mercy, a blog by our Case Manager Scott Gilfang.)

The Rest Of The Story
We wanted to give an update on how we helped Laura at Strong Life. We listened to Laura and got to know her as a person. We helped her connect with our case management partners who offer peer support and assistance with housing. We paid for all her medications that she so desperately needed every month. We connected her to an assisted living program in Asheville.

Most importantly, we befriended her, prayed, and shed tears with her about her concerns and the anxieties of life. She made us laugh and encouraged us as well with her compassion and sense of humor. One of the last things she said to us before she left with tears in her eyes. “You have done so much to help me, and I don’t want to leave, but I know I need help taking care of myself, and the assisted living program is where I need to be.”

Laura provides an example for us that we get to walk a journey with people in our lives, and we don’t get to always choose how long that will be. One thing is for sure we won't forget about Laura, and it’s a great reminder that God will not forget about us!