The challenges of the last few years, plus the high costs of living and housing, are making it impossible for many of our neighbors to make ends meet—especially women and children. For Meg, who had to flee her own home after being assaulted, finding safe refuge was critical.
Meg* turned to Nashville Rescue Mission in a time of crisis.
Devastated by the death of her husband, Meg was in a fragile place mentally and emotionally. “I had a wonderful life. A wonderful husband, we were married 40 years, and then he died of lung cancer,” Meg says. “I think about him every day. We were very much in love. He was a great guy.”
While trying to cope with the loss, the home she shared with family became unsafe because of physical violence.
The couches of family and friends worked for the short term, but Meg was deeply frightened and didn’t want her abuser to find her. Without the significant financial resources it takes to get an apartment or rent a home—deposits, first and last month’s rent—she was stranded. Homeless.
Imagine pulling out your phone and typing “help for a homeless woman . . .”
Thankfully for Meg, Nashville Rescue Mission popped up . . . and on our website, we promise to provide emergency services that meet the immediate and practical needs of people experiencing homelessness, hunger, and hurt.
“I did so much praying, I said, ‘Lord, just lead me.’” Trusting in God, Meg found the courage to visit the Mission to see what it was like.
“I wanted to figure out what I should expect, and it was more upbeat than anything,” she says with a smile. “Now, here I am, and I’ve got a future.”
And Meg knows exactly why we say “Hope Lives Here” at Nashville Rescue Mission. Grateful for the safety and community she has found, she made a commitment to help others who are suffering as she did when she first came through the Mission doors.
“I just felt more and more comfortable here and making friends and being in different groups,” she says. “I thought, ‘Well if there’s anything I can do to help somebody that’s struggling, I wouldn’t mind doing that at all.’”
Since then, Meg has found confidence and great joy in helping others, offering a listening ear, and helping to connect them with the lifesaving, life-changing, and plentiful spiritual resources available at the Mission.
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV)
Meg is deeply thankful to everyone who supports Nashville Rescue Mission for providing her with shelter, support, and a sense of belonging during a very difficult time in her life.
Looking towards the future, Meg plans to live independently with a roommate. She will never forget the Mission’s impact and encourages anyone struggling with personal or spiritual difficulties to reach out for help, emphasizing the Mission’s willingness to provide support and guidance.
“If someone is struggling and feels lost and like they don’t have a place to go, reach out to Nashville Rescue Mission. There’s somebody who can help you. There are really good people here who have great hearts to help others.”
*Name changed for privacy.
