From Homeless to Hopeful … The Gates family
It was only for one night, but it was a long, hot night. That night in July 2007, the Gates family was forced to sleep in their minivan. The money had run out and they could not stay in the motel another day. After being turned away from some churches they visited that day, they had no other options but the van.
The two adults and four children tried to get comfortable in the Ford Windstar. They tried not to run the air conditioning too much because that used up the van’s gas … and they could not leave the windows open because of the mosquitoes, heat and humidity.
The circumstances that brought them to this point tested but never broken their faith … leaving a stable job in Georgia for the promise of a better one in Florida … walking away from that job after a falling out with the relative that urged them to come down here … and living on their savings while they waited for Eric’s first paycheck at his new job … to ending up in their van with nowhere to go.
Flash forward to January 2010. The Gates have just spent their first Christmas in their new home. For the Gates family, Habitat for Humanity means stability. It means knowing where they will lay their heads down at night, share meals together, laugh, play, share holidays and watch their children grow up. It means not wondering where they have to move to next – a place where they can settle in and thrive.