The Women's Center

Today was my first visit to the Thea Bowman Women's Center. Sister Xavier, a former college professor, has been running it since 1992. It is a daytime residence center, operating from 10-4 Monday-Friday. About 10-15 women of all ages will come each day. They shower, wash their clothes, have breakfast and lunch, and generally "hang out." On Tuesday and Thursday they have a guided group discussion, facilitated by Sister Xavier. Since today was my first visit, each woman told something about herself and something about the Center. The remarks about the Center were so positive--they felt peace here, it was a place they could get away from drugs and alcohol, they saw the other women and Sister as their family. Some of the women had been sober for 5-20 years. Others were still struggling with alcohol and drugs. One woman told me she raised 5 children and held a job until she was 40. Then from 40-50 she was drinking heavily. Today at 70, she has been sober for 20 years. She has helped raise grandchildren and even a great grandchild. She rides a bike to and from the center. Another woman told me she had a college degree and had been living in Florida with a husband and 2 children. She came to Philadelphia to visit her brother, and things got out of hand. She divorced her husband, started drinking and never made it back to Florida. That was 10 years ago. She has been sober 5 years. She loves to do crafts, and made me a friendship bracelet. She is also an epiletic, and worries that when she walks to the Center, she will have a seizure on the street and no one will help her.
I felt overwhelmed listening to these stories and those of the other women. What could I contribute to their lives? Other than praying for them, I felt at a loss.