BEWARE!
This shelter…read morecares more about control, power, and keeping people confined than about helping them heal.
I want to start by saying that, in my experience, this shelter is run by former junkies who were previously in the discipleship program, rather than people with professional qualifications, such as those who have studied public policy or social work, to handle people coming from extremely difficult circumstances. As a result, people can be mishandled, with more focus on enforcing rules and maintaining control than on providing the care and support they actually need.
When I came here, I was six months pregnant and was placed in a room with a small, prison-like window that could not be opened. I was told that I would be transferred to a room closer to the bathrooms before giving birth, but that promise was later revoked.
I also want to mention that, a month after being allocated that room, I requested to be moved to a room with a window that could open. I suffer from allergies and could not handle the constant cold AC, which caused me to wake up with a blocked nose. I was also concerned about whether I was getting enough oxygen for my unborn child. Despite explaining my concerns, my request was denied.
I gave birth naturally, and when I should have been resting and recovering with easy access to basic necessities, I had to walk down two long hallways just to get to the bathroom.
I was also expected to do chores while heavily pregnant, at eight months, until I had to obtain a doctor's note to be excused from them.
During my postpartum period, I discovered that the rules were designed in such a way that I could only leave without giving one week's notice if I was with my child's father. I want to emphasize that my child's father was not present throughout my pregnancy. I was under the impression that, during my two months of postpartum leave, I would be able to visit friends and family or simply have time to myself. That was not the case. Instead, I was confined.
The leadership also began scrutinizing my movements, questioning when I returned in relation to curfew, and instructing other staff members not to grant me permission to leave. Rather than allowing me to focus on recovering from childbirth and caring for my newborn, I was constantly being monitored and controlled.
I also want to highlight their nonsensical one-week notice policy, which leaves no room for emergencies or unexpected circumstances. Life does not always go according to plan, and sometimes things come up that require immediate attention. Yet, if you attend to something unexpected, you can receive a demerit. Once you accumulate a specified number of demerits, you are kicked out. There is no system for removing or reversing demerits.
I had to take my newborn in for an appointment, after which he needed time to recover. I wanted him to recover elsewhere, where I felt he would be more comfortable. Because this was an unexpected decision made in the best interest of my child, I received a demerit. Imagine being punished for making a decision as a mother about what you believe is best for your newborn.
They cross a line when they start telling me how I should parent my child. I agreed to have a roof over my head, not to surrender my independence, be controlled, or be unnecessarily punished and given a hard time when I am at my most vulnerable during postpartum recovery.
The final straw came when my newborn began experiencing a blocked nose, wheezing, and difficulty breathing in the same room where I had already expressed medical concerns about the environment. I cannot raise my child in an emotionally hostile environment where single mothers are not respected.
There is so much more I could say about my experience, but these are some of the main issues that stand out to me.
I have come to believe that some people hide behind God and religion to appear good while their actions do not reflect the values they claim to represent. Faith should be reflected in compassion, humility, understanding, and the way vulnerable people are treated, not used as a cover for controlling them.
If you have another shelter available to you, I would strongly advise you to consider it. Based on my experience, I believe you deserve an environment where you are treated with dignity, compassion, and respect, especially when you are pregnant, recovering from childbirth, or caring for a newborn.
