It's Warm at The Warm Zone

So where does Annetta work? some of you may ask...well, I will tell you but then I will have to kill you, lol, no, that is only partly true, allow me to explain.

I work for the Women's Resource Society of the Fraser Valley, which is a wonderful organization that provides services such as women's support services, Transition Houses in Abbotsford and Mission for women and children fleeing abusive situations, Second Stage housing, counseling for children who witness abuse, and Pregnancy Outreach Program. You can find their home page here http://www.wrsfv.ca/  

Through out the past year, but not presently I have worked at the Transition House in Mission, women and children come there who are fleeing abusive or compromising situations, it is a safe house, therefore no one knows where the house is, henceforth my comment earlier...If I tell you where I work I will have to kill you. But I was joking, but the location is highly secretive as is any transition house.

I am currently working where my heart is... at The Warm Zone, this is a drop in center across from Jubilee Park in Abbotsford, open only to women who are marginalized, meaning they are mainly homeless, have addiction issues are street workers, and need lots of support. Its a wonderful place to be, although not for everyone.

I started volunteering there during my studies to be an Addiction and Community Support Worker, then it was just natural for me to do my practicum there, then I was hired on to the organization, there was no opening at The Warm Zone, so off to the Transition House I went, and now I am at the Warm Zone once again and loving it.

The Zone is a 3 year pilot project that with no doubt will continue on, as the local area businesses, Abbotsford Police and local residents have positive feedback since we have opened our doors 2 years ago. At the center we offer food, 2 hot dinners provided a week by a local church, free clothing, hot showers, free laundry services, free calling anywhere in North America if any one wants to connect with family, counseling services, computers, art, support in anyway a women might need it, some examples are: help with finding housing, pregnancy support, adoption support, help into treatment, employment readiness, accompaniment to doctors appointments, oh boy, the list goes on.... here is a link to our first year report, its a good read.  http://www.wrsfv.ca/Warm_Zone_First_Year_Report.pdf       ( all the lettering on the wall, I made :) ) 

What I love about my job is the small victories, when a woman comes into the office and tells me she hasn't used drugs or alcohol for 2 days or a week, or has realized something about herself, something good that makes her smile, because trust me, its not often, those are good days. 

What are hard days at my job is when a woman says she wants treatment, the papers are filled out, but she just cant do it just yet, as she gives me a hug, and says "maybe tomorrow" but tomorrow never comes, those days suck. What is also hard, we cannot impose any religion while at work, but that's ok, no one can stop me from praying for the women as a situation arises while I am at work, some know I am a Christian and ask me to pray for them at home, that I love.

Everything at the Warm Zone is given in the form of gracious donations, from food, laundry soap, gloves, hygiene products, toilet paper, milk, pens, art supplies,clothes... everything, without donation we would not be able to stay open and provide the basic needs for the women. If you can think of anything you may have in your home that you might be considering throwing out, that a woman living on the street might need, give me a shout, I will pick it up, especially with Christmas around the corner, its fun to give to the women.

I want to write so much more about The Warm Zone, its such a great place and one of its kind here in Abbotsford, but I am tired, my brain has been all over the place and back again this past week, I have forced myself to write my blog today because I often get grand ideas and then a few weeks later think it wasn't so grand  after all. Its very frustrating, just ask my kids, it drives then nuts. I will not make this one of the things I start and not continue because I have to teach myself not to do that all the time.  

This is my most favorite verse in the Bible, I want to share it with you: Genesis 3:8

 ⁸ Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.

Can you imagine what it would have been like to hear the sound of God as he walked in the garden? WOW. For Adam and Eve to have that kind of tangable relationship with God is so awesome. I know that is what it will be like for us in heaven, we will be able to hear Him near us, it will be tangible, how awesome it He.

Mystery Diagnosis & HomeSchooling 101

I'm back...sooner than I thought, I realized I have more thoughts in my head than I knew, go figure.

There has been a "Mystery Illness" affecting my daughter, and I am right behind her in symptoms, let me explain... the months she has been sick-3,  the number of Doctors she has seen-3, the rounds of antibiotics she has taken-2,  the number of Monospot blood tests taken (both negative)-2,  the number of hours she sleeps a day-16...comforting my daughter when she is sick...PRICELESS. This final round of antibiotics we hope will do the trick, but knowing what is wrong with her would be great.

So in  my last post I said my life had shifted in the last while, that is because I am doing something that I never thought I would ever be doing...I am a HomeSchooling mom, I know right, crazy. But when it comes to our kids we find ourselves often doing things that we never thought we would do before, like Homeschooling. I am homeschooling grade 9, the reason I am is not important, remember, I hate gossip!  I have her enrolled at Heritage Christian Online School  http://www.onlineschool.ca/   it is a wonderful school with great supports, and for someone like me who knows nothing about homeschooling they have been very helpful showing me how to get the lessons taught. I am even learning a lot in the process... I am learning about Henry the VIII and The Renaissance and The English Civil War, I know they didn't teach that when I was in grade 9, or did they? hmmm.

If I could do it all over again I would home school my kids right away from grade 1, I am learning that everything is a teaching moment as a parent, and its not just the schools responsibility to educate our kids. You know how God turns all things into good for those that love him? The circumstances that led up to all of this has brought me to my knees, figuratively and literally. But once again God is showing me how to be obedient and to just have FAITH. He knows what is in store for all our lives, even before we were born..WOW. Unfortunately there are life lessons that we must learn, sometimes the hard way, both for me and my daughter. But in the meantime I am enjoying the daily company of my grade 9er and am thrilled to be able to teach her (she may have a totally different opinion this by the way) but she is a great kid.


Instead of a Bible verse, here's something to just make you laugh:

I went to pick up Isaiah at Cadets at church last week, he takes along a Bible and his badge book which I have put in a reusable shopping bag that I once used for work. When I went to his class room at church to pick him up, I see him waving something small and white around..NO, it isnt, it cant be, yes it is... I open the door and he yells, "Mom., whats this doing in my bag?" Yes, he had a feminine hygiene product in his hand and was waving it around for all to see and kept repeating it despite me telling him "shush", luckily the other Cadets were not paying attention to this but the councelor was, and I was beat red.

So this is my "new" life right now, its a process, and I hope you will pray with me for my daughter that she grasps homeschooling and is able to learn, and that I have the wisdom to teach her. In your prayers also please remember my friend Helen as she fights cancer.

Have a wonderful week my friends :)

What Am I Doing??

Well..here it goes, my blog. I have had this in the back of my mind for a long time but thought my life was far too boring to possibly write about. I had to think hard about what I wanted the purpose of my blog to be, I have read blogs that have filled me up spiritually and I really like those, I read blogs that give me recipe ideas as well which I also like, but dont be looking here for recipe ideas, you wont find any ( my daughter is the master cook in the family) I wanted to do this as not to have a vessel for gossip, I hate gossip, but a platform for others to understand me, my thoughts, even though some days that's a very bizarre place, my family, and a place to share what our Heavenly Father has done in my life.

In the last few weeks my life has shifted quite a bit, and now feel I have something to say ( I will get to that later) I also have a very rewarding job that I really feel I need to take further and I feel that will be in sharing what I do with others to educate or broaden peoples perspectives..I hope.

I want to make clear that I am in no way an expert in anything I say or endorse, I leave that to Google, I cant count the number of times I refer to Google in a day. I am neither a super spiritual person, we read the Bible at dinner (when I am not working), we attend Church regularly and do everything my good parents taught me,  but when I say "I feel" that is a prompting from the Holy Spirit, that I know.

I have three wonderful children who teach me new things everyday...Danielle is my oldest at 14, she is wise beyond her years and beautiful, William is 11 and is always seeking justice, my baby is 8, Isaiah, he's rambunctious, curious, a daredevil and the sweetest boy you will meet. 

I think that is all for now, if I keep on going you will soon be reading a college sized paper and waiting on the edge of my seat for a grade. I know I am famous for starting things and not finishing them, depending on my mood ( I will get to that at a much later time) but this is going to be good for me, something I am going to hold myself accountable for. I plan to post about once a week,  depending on how busy the week is, maybe my faithful fan and wonderful friend Jules aka Julie will help remind me :) 


Have a great week everyone, until next time.


¹⁰ So do not fear, for I am with you;
   do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
   I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  Isaiah 41:10