DOING THE BEST WE CAN WITH THE RESOURCES WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN

My attempt to clarify some misconception concerning my family's plight

There seems to be a misconception about the plight of my family, and I would like to clear up a few details. My only request to whoever is reading this please read until the end before you form an opinion.

On November 20th of 2017, our mother died and this is where our personal nightmare began. Due to circumstances we believe were beyond our control, and have since taken ownership, our house was not pristine so outside influences turned our lives upside down. First, at our mother’s funeral, certain members of our extended family began to ostracize us as if we were pariah. Second, the DCFS declared our house unfit and placed my sister’s infant daughter and toddler grandson into foster care. Third, while we were in the process of remedying the situation, the city ordinance enforcement office begins to issue citations the property was not up to code, and our landlord seemed to follow suit. So, while all this was going on, we have never been given the courtesy to properly grieve for our mother.

What the public institutes and private individuals do not seem to understand is that we have limited resources so we are having a little difficulty finding an immediately solution. I am sure there are those who are going to scoff at our situation because we could have used outside resources. For their information, we have done everything to the point of begging for outside help without any success. Like I said before, a majority of our extended have turned their collective backs on us. We found out who are true friends are when they only things they offer are only encouraging words and prayers. With the exception of a few isolated incidents, our church has seemed to abandon us. Some did recommend we get in touch with social services; unfortunately, they either did not respond when we left repeated voice message or we were told we did qualify under their guidelines.

Due to these and other unforeseen circumstances, we have learned to rely on one another for moral and emotional support and encouragement. This is not an easy task when you consider our many afflictions.

I have been declared totally disabled by the SSA while my younger siblings have been diagnosed with a number of physical and emotional health issues. In fact, the only able-bodied person in the household has a full-time job so they are unable to do what is necessary and required by those outside forces.

I have always believed in the philosophy of ‘neighbors helping neighbors’ The best examples of this I can think of off the type of my head are John 25 in the New Testament and an ancient proverb that states “a problem is not as heavy when its weight is burdened by many shoulders”.

I have recently learned there are certain individuals who have labeled us as “damaged goods”, and should be separated for “our own survival”. I would like to respectfully disagree.

We are all that are left of our mother’s and father’s family, and are doing the best we can with the resource we have been given. We only ask to be given a chance to prove ourselves, and the courtesy to properly grieve for our mother.

Reviews

[Samuel Dickens]

I have read and do sympathize. Lord knows, dysfunctional families are no stranger to me. May better circumstances soon be yours.