The Great Need: Homes For Abuse Survivors
This article is specifically written for those who are part of the Body of Christ (the Messiah).
Many abuse survivors need a safe place to live and to heal from their abuse. Survivors who have suffered severe abuse may not be able to work or have the finances to pay for a place to stay. The Body of Messiah has been called by God to love their neighbour. Part of loving one’s neighbour can include providing a safe living environment for those who have nowhere to go.
People may think that this is what safe houses or shelters are for, but what they may not know is that there are not enough safe houses, and many times these places are not able to meet the needs of various people. Some places that are considered shelters may not be the safest places or even ideal for children or adults who have been traumatized.
The need for survivors to have a new home is extensive, and the lack thereof has kept many survivors from being able to escape abuse and heal. One cannot always heal in the environment where they were abused or in an environment where there is a lack of support and compassion. The Body of Christ is called to demonstrate the love of God to others in need of help. Attention has been brought to the orphan crisis around the world regarding children who desperately need homes and yet there are also adult abuse survivors who need safe places to live.
Many people also believe that God will call ‘someone else’ or they may think that they couldn’t possibly get involved due to not having the ideal circumstances. One may feel unprepared, unqualified, too busy, too old or too young or they may have other reasons for believing that they couldn’t possibly take in an abuse survivor. If everyone has this view then no one may step up to help those in need. God doesn’t always call someone to do something when they have all that they need to accomplish His will. God only needs one’s willingness to help and many times He has to wait until someone is willing to say yes to what He is asking.
God Is Searching For Someone To Stand Up
Abuse survivors may have up to ten people or more say that they will refer them to someone else because those people didn’t think that God would want them to help the survivor. They may pray that God provides an answer but may never even consider that maybe they are the answer. People are often willing to pray for ‘someone else’ to step up and may wonder why nothing seems to happen because they never consider that no one is answering God’s call. Many times God has placed His will on people’s hearts only to have them reject His nudgings over and over again.
An abuse survivor may suffer years and years due to no one being willing to provide a safe place. The Church may tell them that God loves them but if they don’t actively demonstrate the love of God, then those words often don’t have the weight that they would if they showed God’s love by providing safety. Many people ‘feel’ that they are not ‘called’ or that they don’t have the ‘means’ or the stamina, strength, ability or time to help an abuse survivor by letting them move in, but this is why most survivors don’t have a place to be safe.
Abuse that occurs in the context of a family, whether it be in the family of origin, in a foster care situation or any other type of family dynamic creates a need for survivors to have a ‘new family’ to replace the abusive relationships. There are many survivors of abuse who need safe places to heal. Part of healing is being part of a family unit. The need for those who serve the Lord to open their lives and families to take in children and adults who have no home or family is immense. The Body of Christ is called, ‘the family of God’ with God being the Father.
Healthy societies require that people feel wanted, included and loved. Many problems that could be avoided and prevented are rooted in the issue of survivors being alone, not having a safe place to live and not having support or family to share life with every day. Relational trauma is best healed in the context of healthy, loving relationships with compassionate people.
…’ Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”… Isaiah 6: 8 Amplified Translation
…’ I searched for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand in the gap before Me for [the sake of] the land, that I would not destroy it, but I found no one [not even one].’… Ezekiel 22: 30 Amplified Translation
The Bible contains many passages about helping the orphans, the widows and the poor.
Many children and adults, although they had fathers and mothers, were still orphans due to the abuse by their parents. Some married individuals are in desperate situations due to the abuse and neglect by their spouses. Survivors of trafficking are often without an income due to their abuser’s control and desperately need help (financial and otherwise). These groups of people could also be considered orphans, the widows and the poor.
The second commandment to love your neighbour as yourself includes treating others how you would like to be treated. If you were being abused, neglected and manipulated and had nowhere else to turn would you not want someone to take you in and help you? How would you feel if you had no place to stay, had no healthy relationships, and people refused to get involved because they didn’t want to be inconvenienced or if they didn’t think you were worth the effort.
The story about the Samaritan is an example that perfectly demonstrates what it means to love one’s neighbour as oneself as well as pointing out the selfishness of those who look the other way. Many people believe that it is not their responsibility to take care of others outside of their family. The Lord Himself shared this parable to teach us about what it means to love each other.
The Samaritan was someone who saw a fellow human who needed help and instead of walking past this person, as the religious people did, he stopped and helped them when he could have easily said to himself that this was not his responsibility. This man used his ‘own’ resources to take care of his fellow man when he did not know him previously.
…’ Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he encountered robbers, who stripped him of his clothes [and belongings], beat him, and went their way [unconcerned], leaving him half dead. Now by coincidence a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise a Levite also came down to the place and saw him, and passed by on the other side [of the road]. But a Samaritan (foreigner), who was traveling, came upon him; and when he saw him, he was deeply moved with compassion [for him], and went to him and bandaged up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them [to sooth and disinfect the injuries]; and he put him on his own pack-animal, and brought him to an inn and took care of him. On the next day he took out two denarii (two days’ wages) and gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I return.’ Which of these three do you think proved himself a neighbor to the man who encountered the robbers?” He answered, “The one who showed compassion and mercy to him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and constantly do the same.”… Luke 10: 30-37 Amplified Translation
The Bible also states that if you tell someone who is in need to go and be well, and you do nothing to help them (when you have what they need) then you are sinning.
…’ If a brother or sister is without [adequate] clothing and lacks [enough] food for each day, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace [with my blessing], [keep] warm and feed yourselves,” but he does not give them the necessities for the body, what good does that do? So too, faith, if it does not have works [to back it up], is by itself dead [inoperative and ineffective].’… James 2: 15-17 Amplified Translation
The Word of God also says that it is more blessed to give than to receive. There is an emphasis throughout scripture about giving to those who have nothing to give back. God rewards those who give out of His Love without expecting people to pay them back.
…’ In everything I showed you [by example] that by working hard in this way you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed [and brings greater joy] to give than to receive.’”… Acts 20: 35 Amplified Translation
…’ For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown for His name in ministering to [the needs of] the saints (God’s people), as you do.’… Hebrews 6: 10 Amplified Translation
…’ He who is gracious and lends a hand to the poor lends to the Lord, and the Lord will repay him for his good deed.’… Proverbs 19: 17 Amplified
Ways You Can Help
Some ideas that one may consider when desiring to help those who have been abused and who need a place to stay:
-Pray about giving a survivor of abuse a place in one’s home (if they have space or spare rooms)
-Pray about providing a survivor with a safe place in a guest house
-Pray about creating options for survivors of abuse such as building onto one’s home (if one has the funds) or clearing out a part of one’s home for a survivor to have their own bedroom and a safe place
-Pray about raising funds from the community and one’s church to build or pay for a living environment for survivors of abuse (close to a loving family who will take the survivor into their lives)
-Pray about building a small home for a survivor that could be on the land of a loving family
-Pray for creative ideas for providing a safe home for survivors of abuse
-Pray for revelation from God about what one could do to help a survivor who needs a safe place to live (and how one can be part of this even it requires laying down their selfish desires)
and if God inspires you to pursue any of these ideas or something else altogether, then go ahead and put actions to your faith and love.