Retreat Giving Circle supports a family in a time of tragedy
Our 2023 Joshua Tree Retreat Giving Circle chose to support a local family in need. Yolanda’s letter of gratitude is below.
Hi this is Yolanda S.,
Afrouz reached out to me and I am very thankful for you choosing my family.
We were a very happy family with 4 children and lots of dreams. We dreamed of getting old together and raising our children to be good, educated, happy and faithful individuals. Unfortunately, we lost my husband in January 2022 due to covid. I was left with 4 children 14, 13, 10 and 6 years old. My husband was a photographer and I was left with a lot of pending work. I was a homemaker before my husband passed away.
I had to take the courage to continue running his business and learning a lot of new stuff so that I could have a flexible schedule and could take care of my kids. In November of 2022 my mother-in-law was diagnosed with colon cancer and was given 1-2 years to live.
My mother had a stroke in August of this year and was in ICU for about a month and now is back at her house needing a lot of help and support. My siblings and I are rotating during the week so that we can take care of my mom.
It has been the toughest 2 years of my life, trying to stay strong to support my children and my family. On October 28, 2023 my 4 children and I attended a grieving retreat because I knew we needed help to heal all the pain we have been going through. At the retreat I found out that my daughter was having a hard time dealing with her pain after losing her dad, seeing my mother having a stroke and seeing her other grandmother in her last stage of cancer knowing that any day she was going to die. My daughter told me it was too much to take and that she was having suicidal thoughts. This confession scares me the most. The next day I reached out to Afrouz for help.
On November 1, 2023 my mother-in-law passed away. The first thing she told me when I told her that her grandmother had just passed was: "mommy I just want to go with my daddy". This broke my heart again. I have reached out to the school for therapy and support but since the hangar fire happened, she has not been able to see a therapist at school.
Today when Afrouz called me I cried because I heard God answering my prayers. I am very thankful that she shared my story and that we were selected. I would like to get a therapist for her because I know she needs the most help. Help with food would also be very much needed and appreciated and also help with paying our rent if it's possible.
When my husband passed away, I was in disbelief hoping it was a nightmare. I hope someday I am able to write a book about my darkest days but also about the lights and all the angels that have crossed my path.
Thank You for your support and generosity. My children and I are very thankful.
Yolanda S.