One of the two charities chosen for Charity Week, 2023, In My Shoes, is a maternity home in Dallas for homeless pregnant women in need of shelter, comfort and support. I’ve worked there for the past five months, and in that time I have come to witness the incredible impact this non-profit has.
The aim of In My Shoes is to help homeless pregnant women get back on their feet and keep them healthy, loved, and cared for. The charity advocates for them and helps them practice advocating for themselves and their families so that they can achieve the future they envision.
With the help of In My Shoes, all the moms are either working or in school, regularly meeting with team members to discuss their goals and how to continue working towards them. Counseling and community also benefit the moms as they work together to achieve their goals.
In My Shoes changes lives, as can be seen by the moms’ own testimonies.
“[At In My Shoes], they see us as moms first and they expect greatness from us; they don’t see us as our next mistake,” one mom shared. As another mom put it, “This is my time to heal; heal my body, my mind, my soul and just be a mom. That’s all I have to worry about.”
Even when I first interviewed for my House Coverage position last spring, I felt the peace of God following me into that room. As I drove away, I called my mom, saying, “Mom, I’m going to stay in Dallas this summer. I’m meant to be here, at this place.” In My Shoes change you in the greatest and most unimaginable ways.
The women who work at In My Shoes, especially the Residential Core Team members, are one of the most important aspects of the non-profit as a whole. I was blessed enough to be present at the Farewell Candlelight for one of these women, in which the moms passed around a candle and thanked her for all she had done for them that year. One mom thanked her for being present at the delivery of her baby, and another for being the first person she had genuinely trusted since childhood. As that candle passed hands, it was as if her actions and the way which God worked through her in that year of service became a burning beacon of love which I will never forget.
Honestly, she reminded me of many women I have met at the University of Dallas throughout my years here.
The Residential Core Team position entails a year of service in which you would live in the home with the moms, supporting them, guiding them and loving them through every step of their growth. The position is open only to women, and team members receive free room and board, along with a monthly living and health insurance stipend.
This calling is ideal for the post-grad UD student; it is a faith based, pro-life, service oriented, hopeful and life changing opportunity for a transformative year of service. We are now actively hiring Residential Core Team members and are eager to receive interest from students.
If you are reading this right now and wondering, “What would it be like to walk hand in hand with a woman through pregnancy and birth, through day to day struggles and long-term goals, to share with them in their lowest of lows and their highest of highs?” Bring your curiosity and your interest to the Lord with an open heart and He will answer you.
One morning, after a mom shared a lot about her journey through life with me, she looked me in the eye, placed her hand gently on my shoulder and said, “You are right where you should be.” Do not be scared to bring it to the Lord and ask if you are called to be standing in her shoes. If you would like to find out more or apply for the position, feel free to email patrick@liveinmyshoes.org. Also, you can always stop me on the mall or in the Cap Bar and I’d love to share more about my experience!