The Women's Center

Brace yourselves, this is going to be long, but I have to share this.

Yesterday, I took a three hour break from work to go to an orientation at Prototypes Women's Center (to be a volunteer or employee). It's basically a rehab living community for women coming out of drug addiction, abuse, etc. It's non-profit so the women coming in aren’t able to afford other rehab centers. These women are coming from some of the worst possible situations you can imagine.
When I arrived at the beautiful Victorian estate, off Victoria Ave in Oxnard, there were women outside gardening, playing with children, and reading. It felt like a sunny summer day but there was this intangible warmth that filled the whole space. I walked inside and was escorted to a room where they had prepared a fresh lunch of blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, and chicken salad for the 7 guests. I was surprised. I don't know what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn't this generous hospitality. The smiley staff then continued to explain what the Women's Center is and the type of women that come through. The last thing they did was describe a case study of a typical woman that comes there. The case study was the following:
Used alcohol at 5yrs old, marijuana at 7yrs, Heroin at 13yrs, Meth at 15yr, sexually, physically, emotionally, mentally abused, has three children (4,6,13), low weight, low self-esteem, depression, chemical imbalance, tried different rehab centers, entered Prototypes women's center in 2008.
I was shocked/saddened/overwhelmed. I was thinking to myself, this is probably just a combination of all the things a variety of women go through...before I could continue my thought the speaker said, "and this is a real woman who came through our center, and her name is Mary, and she is sitting right here".
This beautiful 20 something year-old stood up and began to explain that she now works at Prototypes in the parenting center. The parenting center was especially significant because it helped her to reconcile, heal, and reconnect with her children. She had this unbelievable joy about her. She asked if we had any questions...we asked several. During one she explained how the Women's Center asked her to sing at one of their events. That meant a lot to her because they could have asked someone from the outside to come in, but they asked her, a then resident, to sing. She said it was one of the most influential things because it reminded her of her gift, that she is good at something, has worth, and can make beauty. It reminded her of her innocence because she used to sing as a young girl. The staff then urged her to sing for the small group and after a little push she began to sing, "In the Arms of an Angel". Here are the lyrics:
"Spend all your time waiting for that second chance
For the break that will make it ok
There's always some reason to feel "not good enough"
And it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction, oh beautiful release
Memories seep from my veins
They may be empty and weightless, and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight
In the arms of the Angels, fly away from here
From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here
So tired of the straight line, and everywhere you turn
There's vultures and thieves at your back
The storm keeps on twisting, you keep on building the lies
That you make up for all that you lack
It don't make no difference, escaping one last time
It's easier to believe
In this sweet madness, oh this glorious sadness
That brings me to my knees
In the arms of the Angels, far away from here
From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie
In the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here".
Wow, her voice was so beautiful! I cried, overwhelmed with a mixture of sadness, humility, thankfulness, and hope. She explained how she has been healed and restored! What an amazing story! She went on to say how blessed she feels to now work at the Women’s Center and help women through the struggle she is so familiar with.
I felt like the most insignificant person on earth. Not in the sense of self-esteem, but in the sense of realizing that my life has no significance outside of God's story, of the continued filling of His Spirit, being empowered by Him, and doing the very things Jesus came and did. My identity in Jesus and the work He's doing/did/and will do in my life is all I can ever boast of.
After April 1st I will be volunteering in the Parenting Center, helping the women to reconnect with their children! I am so excited to learn more about these women and be involved in what God is already doing. This was just a glimpse.


See the website here. To call about volunteering: 805-382-6296


2Bless the LORD, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
3Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
4Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;
5Who satisfies your years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
6The LORD performs righteous deeds
And judgments for all who are oppressed.
7He made known His ways to Moses,
His acts to the sons of Israel.
8The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
 Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness...
¹⁴For He Himself knows our frame;
He is mindful that we are but dust.
15As for man, his days are like grass;
As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.
16When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,
And its place acknowledges it no longer.
17But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who    fear Him
And His righteousness to children's children,
18To those who keep His covenant        
And remember His precepts to do them. 
- Psalm 103:2-8,14-18