Hope Reclaimed

Cathy was a discouraged and nervous person when she and her five children arrived at Limberlost under police protection. She did not know anyone in the neighbourhood and felt shy and frightened by the people of various races around her. In fact, the name Limberlost seemed to reflect her feelings of loss and hopelessness.

Things began to change for Cathy when she was welcomed by chaplain Mary Hagan. She began to attend the various drop-in programs provided by the Limberlost Chaplaincy, got to know many of the residents and was soon a regular volunteer.

Cathy joined a five-week program provided by the Institute for Women in Leadership. A team of five women came to Limberlost to help other women find inner strength and develop leadership skills. The sessions empowered Cathy with the courage to speak for herself; she found her voice again.

As Cathy recognized her own best qualities, she began looking for opportunitites that would build a solid foundation for herself and her family. When a part-time job became available in a nearby town, she took it. She arranged funding to buy a house closer to work.

Cathy now works full-time in a retirement home. Her eldest child is on her own and the others continue diligently in school. She has happy memories of the people and events that were part of her life in the Limberlost Community.

Cathy's Limberlost experience won her many friends and gave her the courage to move out of fear and isolation to reclaim her real self - a woman of great courage and hope. Like the phoenix rising from his ashes, she is once again fully active and energized in this new phase of her life.