Sojourner Center

A thought that has been on my mind lately is a couple weeks ago I had the privilege to go meet up with a Domestic Violence Shelter in Phoenix to talk about what they do and what has made them successful, to hopefully take some of those initiatives and implement them in Belize in the DV house that is down there called Mary Opens Doors. So Tuesday night I was rounding up change around the house so I can drive to school and pay for parking and not get a ticket like last time and drive to the Sojourner center! I round up a lot of change and sure enough forget it all at home. I tell myself I can take the LR to class then take it to 24th street and Jefferson and walk a half mile to the center, then take the LR back to school. A half mile really isn't that far. I was just a little nervous about that side of town, I mean it is Phoenix. On the LR to school when it stops at 24th street I look around to see my surroundings and just get this gut wrenching feeling to NOT get off there and walk to the center when I come back. I asking HF well what do you want me to do? I can't miss this meeting? They are setting aside there time and made special arrangements for me to come. The rest of the ride to class I still had the strongest feeling to NOT walk down there. But I had no other choice. So after class I was shaking... not wanting to do this thing, in fear I was going to get kidnapped. But I honestly had no other choice, I couldn't call them to come get me. Back on the LR I was and 24th street came and I said the biggest prayer to help me get there safely and I am sorry about going against what the spirit is telling me to do but I don't know what else to do. As I start walking there is a nice looking man that gets off the LR I kind of follow behind hoping he will protect me if anything goes wrong. Walking from Jefferson to Washington there was 3 homeless guys that were aggressively wanting money and I was trying my best to hide behind this guy and managed to slip by them but saw them giving me the worst glares, and I thought they were going to come after me demanding money since I looked nice. Then just my luck the guy I was hiding behind turns to go to the LR station heading the other way. I am now waiting for the light to turn green to cross and it is taking FOREVER!! There is a lady who is homeless and walking back and forth and I make eye contact with her and she says "You better be careful around here little girl". At that point tears started to well up I for sure thought I was not making it out alive as I looked down the road to the next bunch of crazies I had to face. Finally, I could cross the street and as I am walking down 24th street towards Van Buren I see a black man who looks drunk, pants sagging, and is swaying side to side as he is walking towards me. I hug the right side of the concrete and he is on that side now and my only thing I could think of is to last minute before we come face to face is to jump to the left and go in the bike lane. I did that and he was so out of it he just swears at me and I start walking faster as my heart is racing a million miles an hour. I next see a Mexican guy walking towards the sidewalk from a 7-11 parking lot on my right. This time I am hugging the left side of the sidewalk hoping he doesn't bother me. Unfortunately when he reaches the sidewalk that is right when I walked passed him and he pointed at me and said "F*** something and kept saying that over and over and yelling it at me. At this point I was DONE, and for sure thought he was going to run after me as I jogged away from him. Tears were coming out at this point and I wanted to just be at the place already. I was only at Van Buren now and still had to go down that for a little. As I crossed the street I saw a scary White man eye me down as I passed him, and another black guy was in front of me walking same direction so I just slowed down to not get too close to him. Now I had to cross the street do go down the last stretch of road before I was there. It was a neighborhood though. I didn't know if I should be more worried that there wasn't cars passing by and witnesses in case something happened, or relieved that I was off the main road and possibly away from the crazy's. Once I was on the neighborhood street I started to feel more at peace. I didn't come across any other people and only one creepy car drove by. As I came to the center gates I wanted to bust through them and be in safe hands and just hug someone for comfort. But of course there was gate codes and someone had to come let me in. I was all hot and sweaty, shaking, with a heart beating a million miles per hour. Once inside I determined that I would have the guts to ask one of the workers to drive me back to the Light Rail Station there was NO WAY I was walking back. I would wait at the center for my parents to come pick me up if that needed to be done.
     So on a more positive note meeting with Ward and Diane was great. They gave me a tour of the center and showed me what seems to work best for them, the importance of having the programs they have and how its more than just providing housing for them until they find a safe place. They have jobs, daycare, counseling, and ways to prepare you to be safe and on your own again in 6 months time. After learning about this and how much Domestic Violence is not addressed I have just discovered a passion for it and want to improve Mary Opens Doors in Belize and get more involved with bringing awareness to it here in AZ when I get back.
    If you are wondering did I have the guts to ask for a ride back? YOU BETCHA I DID! I was not hesitant at all. When Diane said let me walk you out, I said actually... could you give me a ride to the light rail station a half mile away? I have never been so scared in my life before when I was walking here. Luckily she was so nice and said of course! I can't believe you walked here sweetie. As we were driving back and we saw even more scarier things than on the way there she couldn't believe that I had the guts to walk here alone. She said over and over again I am so glad you asked and did not have to face all these people again, this is not the right part of town to be walking alone.
      So tying this back to the beginning when I said "A thought that has been on my mind lately" is what did HF want me to learn from this? Didn't he know that I did indeed recognize the spirit warning me to not walk down 24th street and had all the desire in the world to act on it and not go? But I didn't see a way around it, I couldn't see any other options for me to take, was I blind to the path he may had been providing me to take to avoid this situation? So I am not sure what HF wanted me to learn from that experience... still trying to figure it out. I am grateful he was able to get me out of there safely but what an awful half mile walk it was!