Safe in Her Own Room

Samantha grew up with 10 children in her household, and she and her cousin Josh had to share a room with a divider down the middle.  It was chaotic, and Samantha spent a lot of time running around instead of at home.  She started smoking marijuana when she was 12 and soon she started drinking too.

Now 22, she was on the streets for several years before coming to Off the Streets^SM three weeks ago. “Out there,” she says, “you worry about where you’re going to sleep, how you’re going to eat, if you’re going to shower.  There are no worries like that here.”  It was lonely on the streets too.  She appreciates being around a group of women now, whom she can turn to.

At the same time, she appreciates that she has her own space too.  The other women call her room the dollhouse because Samantha is a girly-girl, and she agrees.  For example, she pasted pink stars made from construction paper around her mirror to decorate.  She likes to look out her window because it’s peaceful.  She particularly likes how safe she feels.  She says, “You aren’t trying to fall asleep around any strangers who may rob you, and the door locks.  I love that.”

Thank you Erik, for giving Samantha a sense of peace and safety.