“Sometimes, falling into shadow will lead you to the light”

Some stories leave an imprint on a journalist’s soul. Some people we interview remind us that obstacles do not have to defeat us, and that help can come in even the darkest of situations. This story, which tells the tale of two amazing young people in Houston, did that for me.

Young Houstonians go from homelessness to college
Star of Hope shelter opened the door to hope for two friends and their families
By Monica Rhor | July 21, 2012 |

That first night, surrounded by strangers, still shell-shocked after her family was cast onto the street, Tiara Reado shrank back into childhood. The teenager stayed glued to her mother’s side, following her around the Star of Hope shelter like a toddler.

When the older woman stirred, Tiara stirred with her, whispering, “Mommy, where are you going? Mommy, I’m coming with you.”

Then Tiara cried. She cried when they had to camp on the floor, next to dozens of other homeless families. She cried when they moved into a cramped room with narrow cots and cinderblock walls. She cried when she realized they had no place else to go.

For seven days straight, she cried.

What else can you do when you’re 16 and your dad is out of work and your family has just been evicted? What else can you do when you’re just a kid – scared and sleepy and hungry?

A few months later, Courtney Williams was huddled on the floor of the same shelter, sharing space with the unknown and clutching his Bible.

The 17-year-old’s family had just been kicked out of their apartment. His mother had been very sick for a very long time and he was on the verge of dropping out of school. The whole world, it seemed, was conspiring against him.

So, Courtney bowed his head over the Book of Proverbs, sobbed quietly and prayed. All night long, he cried.

What else could he do?

On those dark nights of tears, when everyday teenage dreams were displaced by uncertainty, Tiara and Courtney cried for the homes they lost, the proms they wouldn’t attend, the colleges they couldn’t afford. What they didn’t yet know was that, sometimes, falling into shadow will lead you to the light.

To read the entire article, click here.