Divine Direction to Seek Help from The Salvation Army
Several months ago, Sofia* was driving past The Salvation Army Norridge Citadel on her way home from Aldi’s, something she’s done hundreds of times before. But this time she noticed the cars lined up in front of the building and felt compelled to stop and see if they were giving out food.
She thought, let me stop here and try to talk to someone. She had a lot to say. The single mom to 9-year-old Julia was struggling – worried that she and her daughter would get COVID-19, trying to make ends meet after being without work for five months last year, and still working to pay off major dental work she had done in 2009. “It was all so, so hard,” she said.
“I opened my mouth and said this is my situation,” Sofia said. “And she opened her heart to help.” That “she” is Pamela Church-Pryor, the Community Ministries Director at the Norridge Citadel. Pamela did indeed give Sofia groceries from their food pantry that day, but also offered the Army’s help with her financial troubles.
Sofia shared with Pamela that she’s a home health worker, caring for an 88-year-old woman in the client’s home. When the woman got COVID last year, the work was suspended for several months. Once it resumed, Sofia had to figure out what to do with her daughter, who was still remote learning due to the pandemic.
Thankfully, the client understood Sofia’s situation and was appreciative of her work over the past three years. She let Julia come with her mom to work and provided a quiet room where she could do her schooling every day.
But Sofia was still trying to catch up on bills from the months without work in 2020 – and from a tooth extraction and bridge several years ago that were necessary for Sofia to be able to eat. With no dental insurance, the several-thousand-dollar procedures were all hers to pay for. “The dentist calls me every month,” Sofia said, explaining she tries to make payments regularly.
The Army helped Sofia with her back rent and utility payments as well as her past dental bill. Pamela also enrolled Sofia in the Pathway of Hope program, which offers individualized services to families to help them become self-sufficient. For this mom who was so overwhelmed, the assistance means a lot.
“This community is wonderful, so close to my soul,” Sofia said. “The people here have big hearts. They inspire me. God put good people in my life.”
During the toughest days, Sofia said she would “pray all the time that God will give me some direction.” Looking back on that trip home from Aldi’s months ago when she felt compelled to pull into the Army’s parking lot, she realizes He did.
*Names changed to protect client's privacy.