SAFE AT SARAH'S HOUSE : SIMI HOME AIDS PREGNANT WOMEN.Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer Cheryl Roe was three months pregnant when she was told to move out of her mother's house in Arizona, a place she had gone to escape her emotionally abusive Tending to deceive; practicing abuse; prone to ill-treat by coarse, insulting words or harmful acts. Using ill treatment; injurious, improper, hurtful, offensive, reproachful. boyfriend. Though she was 30 at the time, Roe's past addiction to drugs and alcohol kept her from ever holding down a decent job or earning enough money to move out on her own permanently. ``My life was going nowhere,'' Roe said. ``But I wasn't going to have an abortion. And I wasn't going to give my baby away.'' Roe's resolve meant she had to do something about her life. She wanted to get back on her feet while living in Arizona, but her mother also was in an emotionally abusive relationship, and Roe was told to leave. Having nowhere to go and being desperate to turn her life around, Roe heard from a friend about Sarah's House, a maternity home maternity home Obstetrics Birth center, see there Social medicine A residence for pregnant ♀ in Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. that gives pregnant women a second chance at life. Two days later, Roe flew to California. Skeptical at first, Roe soon felt comfortable enough to call Sarah's House home. It was plain, but cozy See COSE. , neatly furnished fur·nish tr.v. fur·nished, fur·nish·ing, fur·nish·es 1. To equip with what is needed, especially to provide furniture for. 2. with a fireplace fireplace Opening made in the base of a chimney to hold an open fire. The opening is framed, usually ornamentally, by a mantel (or mantelpiece). A medieval development that replaced the open central hearth for heating and cooking, the fireplace was sometimes large enough to . The house was a safe haven 1. Designated area(s) to which noncombatants of the United States Government's responsibility and commercial vehicles and materiel may be evacuated during a domestic or other valid emergency. 2. where up to four pregnant women at a time could build trust and make friends. In return for shelter, Roe had to promise she would do all she could to prepare herself for motherhood. There was no room for laziness or apathy apathy /ap·a·thy/ (ap´ah-the) lack of feeling or emotion; indifference.apathet´ic ap·a·thy n. Lack of interest, concern, or emotion; indifference. . Each woman is required to follow a strict set of rules and must take action to prepare herself for the day when she has to leave and support herself and her baby. Like all women living in Sarah's House, Roe had to share cooking and cleaning duties, and she was required to either work or go to school. She had to learn parenting and child-caring skills and learn how to live on a budget to prepare herself for when she moved out. Roe considered it a small price to pay. ``You don't even have to do anything for them to care about you,'' Roe said. ``I was a hard person. I didn't trust people. They broke that down.'' After an 11-month stay, Roe graduated. She is holding down a job and renting a room in Moorpark. Her son, Julian, is healthy and happy. ``From Sarah's House, I learned there is still goodness in the world,'' said Roe, now 32. ``There are people who care. They give and give and give, and they want you to do good.'' There have been 34 graduates of Sarah's House since it opened in 1991. Only two are still on welfare. A Christian nonprofit A corporation or an association that conducts business for the benefit of the general public without shareholders and without a profit motive. Nonprofits are also called not-for-profit corporations. Nonprofit corporations are created according to state law. home, Sarah's House was founded by Jeannine Floores, a Moorpark resident who felt the need to help pregnant women who were abused, abandoned or simply needed a place to call home. The idea was sparked years ago while Floores was in college, when her friend became pregnant and could no longer live in the dorms. Because her friend had nowhere to go, it opened Floores' eyes. ``I wanted to provide a second chance,'' she said. Floores named the home after Sarah, the mother of Isaac in the Old Testament. Sarah's House has since moved from the west side of Simi Valley to a larger home on the east side of town. Over the years, Floores has seen many women arrive confused and leave independent and responsible. Each woman is unique, with different stories and delicate situations, she said. ``They have to be highly motivated mo·ti·vate tr.v. mo·ti·vat·ed, mo·ti·vat·ing, mo·ti·vates To provide with an incentive; move to action; impel. mo to make it,'' Floores said. ``We give them tools to help themselves.'' Now that Sarah's House is established, Floores is moving on - next month she plans to move to Texas with her husband and two young sons. Cathy Given, a longtime long·time adj. Having existed or persisted for a long time: a longtime friend; a longtime resident of Detroit. longtime Adjective supporter and volunteer at Sarah's House, will take over when Floores leaves. Given hopes to continue the vision Floores had years ago - ``to come here and find unconditional love This article is about concept of unconditional love. For other uses, see Unconditional love (disambiguation). Unconditional love is a concept that means showing love towards someone regardless of his or her actions or beliefs. , no matter what,'' Given said. ``No matter what her history is, a woman can come here and be loved unconditionally. Every girl who comes here is worthy of our help.'' HOW TO HELP Sarah's House is funded entirely by donations and mission budgets of local churches of various denominations. Individual contributions can be sent to: Sarah's House, P.O. Box 382, Moorpark, Calif. 93020-0382. For information, call (805) 581-1910. CAPTION(S): Box, Photo Photo: (SIMI and CONEJO only--color) When Cheryl Roe w as pregnant with Julian, now 11 months old, and had nowhere to live, Sarah's House in Simi Valley cared for her. Myung J. Chun/Daily News Box: (SIMI and CONEJO only) HOW TO HELP (see text) |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion