We’re excited to introduce this series of articles from our lead Teacher, Robin Whitaker. This is the first in an installment of articles about her journey.
For thirty years God blessed me with the job of teaching in public schools. I loved teaching English. What I did not love was the bureaucracy associated with public schools. So when the time came, I eagerly anticipated retirement.
What would I do? I could work at Home Depot; I love the smell of wood, and I love those flowers! I could be a flight attendant! I could do some type of job that allowed me to go home and not think about it anymore until I was back at work.
One morning during the last exam week, I started talking to God and thanked Him for the gift of teaching. I told Him that I knew teaching was a gift He had blessed me with, and I didn’t want to be ungrateful by no longer using it. However, I knew I could serve Him at Home Depot or on a plane, so I asked Him just to put me wherever He pleased.
I finished exam week, packed up all my belongings, and left my classroom for the very last time. As I prepared to relax and enjoy my summer, I leisurely considered job possibilities. About two months into retirement, I got a phone call that set a totally unexpected plan into motion.
I had been expecting my daughter to come by the apartment complex to sit by the pool with me and cook out that afternoon. Instead, I got a call that she had been found unconscious in the bathroom and that I needed to come to the hospital and bring the insurance card. I had talked to her not thirty minutes before and told her to drive safely. Now I was headed to the hospital with an insurance card. I got another call from my son telling me she was breathing again. What?! I hadn’t known she wasn’t breathing!
My youngest child had overdosed on heroin. When I arrived at the hospital, she had just regained consciousness. She looked at me, and the first words out of her mouth were, “Do you hate me?”
“No,” I said, “I love you. I want to help you.”
As I write those words, I realize that God was saying the SAME THING to me. And help me He did.
The next day, my child entered treatment. As you may know, drug rehab is expensive. Having just retired, I had enough money to put her through the 35- day treatment program with the help of insurance. More treatment was recommended, so with insurance and a loan from my sister, I had enough money to pay for three more months of treatment in a halfway house. I planned to find a job during those three months to begin paying back the loan in addition to paying my own rent and bills.
After her first 35 days of treatment, we headed to the halfway in Florida with some excitement and anxiety. She said goodbye to friends and family, and off we went. About 2 or 3 hours down the road, she said, “I need to tell you something in the name of rigorous honesty.” She revealed to me that she had gotten access to a pill and had taken it; her thirty-five days of sobriety had ended. Again that beloved daughter asked, “Do you hate me?”
I didn’t hate her. In fact, because getting access to drugs is typical when an addict is being transported from treatment to a half-way, I had been aware that it might happen. I was, however, discouraged. We worried that she might not be accepted into the facility since she wasn’t “clean.” We let them know and were relieved when they told us that she would still be accepted but would need to go through detox.
I dropped her off that night around 11:30 pm and handed her over to strangers. I don’t think anything has ever been harder. They took her to the detox facility, and I paid the bill. Only now, because of that pill, instead of $4000 for the first month, it was an additional $1400 for detox. Now, instead of being left with enough for the next two months, I didn’t even have enough money for the next month.
When I got to my hotel room, I fell on my knees to pray. I cried, “God, I can’t do this. I don’t have the money, I don’t have the strength, and I cannot stop her from getting drugs. I can’t do it.” What I was preparing to ask for was His help in resigning myself to the fact that more treatment was not going to happen. I knew I was the only one who could have made it happen, and now I couldn’t. But the moment I said, “I can’t do it,” I heard God say, “Maybe you can’t, but I can.”
The next afternoon, after a brief phone conversation with my daughter, I started the long drive home. When it started to get dark, I stopped to stay overnight in Orlando. I was just getting into bed when a friend texted me: “Hey,” she said. “This just came across my Facebook feed, and I thought, ‘Robin needs that.’ The Joy House is looking for an English teacher. The only catch is you might have to live there because it says housing is provided.” I shook my head and said, “Wow, God. That was fast.”
I got home around 9:00 the next evening. I immediately got online and sent a letter of interest. And here I am. Just like that, God provided a way to continue her treatment, to begin paying back the loan, to shelter me, and to use my gift of teaching.
Now, one more interesting fact. I had lived in the same apartment complex for 6 years. I had always renewed my lease for 12 months because rent was less expensive that way. But when I signed my last lease in 2014, the 10- month lease was cheaper. “Strange,” I thought. When I interviewed with Steve in 2015, he told me that the housing provided wouldn’t be available until October 1. That worked out well, because the 10-month lease was up on September 30!
As I recall all these events, I am once again in awe of the love, mercy, and orchestration of God. I don’t think God caused my child to overdose. The devil’s tool of addiction helped facilitate that. But God knew it was coming. He knew that I would need to be out of my lease on September 30. He knew that the Joy House would need an English teacher. He knew that I was willing to use the gift He had given me wherever He put me. He KNEW, and He had prepared the way.
God is on a rescue mission. He rescued me, and He rescued my daughter. He brought me to a place that helps rescue children and families. I am witness to the truth that all things work for good for them who love the Lord, and that in our weakness, we are strong, because THAT is when God is right there with us. God provided for my daughter, He provided for me, and He provided for the Joy House, all in one act.
I was brought here to teach, but I’m finding that I’m also being taught. My first lesson was that when God says He can, He can. That lesson was only the beginning. . . .
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Importance of Partnerships
You may ask “Who CARES”? There are a lot of individuals and organizations that care in order to make The Joy House a reality. One of those is my good friend Chris Rumble, who leads CARES, an organization here in our community that distributes food and essentials along with providing other assistance to those in need. Over the past few months he has called me on several occasions as they have had an abundance of food. I’ve went by and picked up all kinds of fresh produce, vegetables, and even meats we’ve used in our homes. Chris and their team of staff and volunteers at CARES do a great job. You can find them on their Facebook page here.
It takes numerous partnerships for The Joy House to exist. We have all of our donor/partners that invest financially in our mission that allows us to offer all our services based on ability to pay. We have community organizations such as CARES that help with food. We have the many churches and their members who invest financially, bring meals to our homes, organize work days on our campus, etc… We have our tremendous tutors who come and work with our students. The list goes on and on.
Please know that we are grateful for everyone who invests in this ministry in any way. You’re return on investment is every life that is changed for the glory of God through this ministry.
" Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. As it is written, “He has distributed freely, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.”
2 Corinthians 9:7-9 |
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Who CARES Sports Spectacular
You don’t want to miss this, Steve versus Sasquatch in a one-on-one basketball challenge. We’re going to have a lot of fun while we seek to raise funds for The Joy House and CARES. Grateful for my friend Chris Rumble, the director of CARES, putting this together and partnering with us. All funds raised will be split evenly between The Joy House and Cares. We’re looking to raise $5000. The details are included in the attached picture. How can you help? Please share this all over social media for people to tune in and give. We’re asking you to consider it as a pay-per-view event. We’re looking for donor(s) who would consider providing a matching gift. For instance you’ll match dollar-for-dollar up to $1000. We can have more than one of these. Consider possibly attending on Monday August 10th at First Christian Jasper. |
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| | The Joy House is currently seeking a married couple to be full-time houseparents in our girl’s home. No prior experience is needed, as training will be provided. The couple must have a strong desire to share Christ’s love with the teens and their families. Applicants must be married at least 3 years with no more than 2 children of their own. While modeling a Christian family, we ask the houseparents to provide care, nurturing, and structure for up to seven teen girls. They are supported by a five-person treatment team all focused on helping one another serve the teen and family in need.
To apply, candidates should email their resumes with a cover letter to Steve Lowe, Executive Director, and he will contact you. |
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