What happens when government agencies, churches, and community members break down silos and work together? Lives transform, families reunite, and hope takes root in even the most challenging circumstances.
Dawn Beam and Cindy Cheeks dive deep into the science of hope and its practical application in Mississippi's child welfare system. With startling statistics—one in four Mississippi children living in poverty and one in five experiencing food insecurity—they reveal how economic hardship directly feeds the state's foster care system, with over 70% of removals stemming from poverty-related issues rather than abuse.
Hope science isn't just wishful thinking; it's a research-backed approach that defines hope as "the belief that tomorrow can be better than today and you have the power to make it so." Through compelling stories, Dawn and Cindy showcase remarkable collaborations: transportation officials offering commercial driver training to parents seeking stability, housing authorities creating pathways to homeownership, and church groups wrapping around young mothers with practical support and mentorship.
What makes this conversation particularly powerful is the blend of systemic solutions and deeply personal experiences. Cindy vulnerably shares her journey of reconciliation with her estranged son during his final months, discovering how the very principles of hope she taught others—identifying goals, recognizing pathways, and maintaining willpower through support—sustained her through profound grief.
Whether you're a community leader looking for collaborative models, a person of faith wondering how to serve effectively, or someone simply needing encouragement that difficult circumstances can change, this episode offers both practical frameworks and heartfelt inspiration. Every one of us has something valuable to contribute to those struggling around us—what will your contribution be?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
When you need some hope and inspiration to build
collaboration.
Hope Mississippi is yoursalvation.
One in four kids live inpoverty.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
One in five are food deprived.
Build collaborations and buildhope with those who are
struggling.
Hope Mississippi.
Well, hello and welcome toanother episode of Hope
(00:41):
Mississippi.
We're so glad you're joining ustoday.
I'm Dawn Beam, your host, and Iam thrilled to have my dear
friend Cindy Cheeks with ustoday.
Hello.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Cindy, hey Dawn, it's so good to be with you again
today.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Well now, cindy Hope, mississippi is part of Hope
Rising, a nonprofit that wasestablished in Mississippi, and
you're a part of that board,right.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I am.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Well, just tell the group just a little bit about
how you came to be on HopeRising Mississippi Board.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Well, it goes back about five years ago to 2018,
when we were working on someefforts addressing the child
welfare system in our state, andit led to efforts around hope
science and that turned into anonprofit, and now we are both
(01:35):
serving them and blessed toserve them on the board.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
I think it was eye-opening when we both
discovered the book Hope Risingby Dr Chan Hellman.
Tell us just a little bit abouthope and the impact it can have
on those that are sufferingfrom trauma.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
So I'll go back just a little bit.
And we had been working toeducate youth court judges on
trauma.
We did that in 2019.
And then, in 2020, covid camealong and you and I were given a
book called Hope Rising, and itwas one of those eye openers
(02:17):
that really changed our life.
It gave vocabulary to somethingthat we already knew, something
we already did, but it also ledto us saying you know, people
need hope, and what hope is isthe belief that your tomorrow
can be better than today andthat you have the power to make
(02:39):
it so.
And so what we did was we beganlooking at the child welfare
system through the lens of hopescience.
Over 2,000 research studiesshow that hope is the best
indicator of well-being.
You identify a goal, youidentify a pathway to that goal
(03:09):
and you maintain the willpowerto achieve that goal.
And so we began looking at thereasons for children being
removed from their families inthe state of Mississippi.
Over 70% of children in thestate of Mississippi were being
removed because of povertyreasons, and so we took a look
at what are those reasons, andwe began applying this framework
(03:34):
of hope to those systems andstarted trying to remove
barriers in a family's pathwayto hope of reunification with
their children.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
A lot of us are not aware of the statistics.
In our Mississippi, children'skids count.
One in four of our kids livesin poverty.
One in five is food deprived,which means at some point
they're hungry.
So that was really feeding ourfoster care system.
That was really feeding ourfoster care system.
So once we recognized that wasone problem, we went about
(04:13):
gathering resources to helpthose that were working with
struggling families so we couldkeep kids in the home.
One thing that we learned abouttrauma is the trauma of removal
is oftentimes worse than thetrauma that they're experiencing
in those unintentional neglectsituations where the folks just
don't have the money.
So when we talk about hope andthe way power, the resources,
(04:35):
tell us how you work withvarious courts in order to build
collaborations to empowerpeople to change their lives.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
It all goes back to a personal passion of mine and
that is in my Christian faith,and it goes back.
This will be my 20th year innonprofit work and it all
started in Katrina.
And during Katrina I sawvolunteers all over the state
come together.
Many were faith-based and weachieved great things.
(05:10):
We didn't get all the suppliesthat New Orleans got, but we
came together and we worked tobring relief to hurting people.
(05:30):
And what you said is so right,dawn the trauma that the whole
family goes through when they'reunder the scrutiny of the child
welfare system and it's toprotect the children.
But it's still traumatic.
Good parents that want to dowell have so often found
themselves in a conundrum of badluck, if you want to call it
that.
But I took what I saw inKatrina, what I believe to be
(05:53):
the calling of churches andChristians, regardless of your
denomination, but to see thehurting people and work together
to bring them help.
Well, I couldn't apply that atthe state level, but I do
believe in the goodness ofpeople and I saw people in all
(06:13):
these agencies who really wantedto help Mississippians achieve
their goals and achievewell-being.
And so we looked at the threemain removal reasons housing,
substance use, inability to copeof parents they're just, their
(06:34):
life has fallen apart and theyhave a hard time making ends
meet.
And then just poverty.
So economic reasons, and all ofthose are traumatic.
We recognize that parents oftenare standing in front of a
judge and they're experiencingthe trauma.
The children are experiencingthe trauma.
(06:54):
So what can we do to worktogether?
I remember just a series ofdifferent revelations that we
had, series of differentrevelations that we had.
One you had the opportunity tosit down with Dr Carson, who was
(07:15):
at the time the head of HUD,and we knew that housing was one
of the biggest reasons ofremoval.
Parents weren't able to provideadequate housing, for whatever
reason.
And you said, dr Carson, wehave got to have your help.
And I remember you called me at930 one night.
You said, cindy, our state isnot taking advantage of some
vouchers that we have theopportunity to receive.
(07:36):
And so we embarked on thatjourney of what are these
vouchers?
How can we bring this together?
And we brought people that youwould never think would work
together, who, when theyunderstood that the situation of
these families, that they couldbe reunified simply by having
(08:00):
adequate housing, they said wehave a part to play in helping
that pathway for that family bea lot smoother.
And so we all pulled in, workedtogether.
You had Department ofTransportation and one of the
housing agencies in the state ofMississippi working together to
(08:22):
make sure these families hadhope in that situation.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
You are so right, Cindy.
I remember back to that and thepower of collaborating at the
state level as well as in theregion.
Collaborating at the statelevel as well as in the region.
We worked with some folks inNorth Mississippi and you don't
just want to help a family get ahouse, you want case management
to make sure that they'resuccessful, that they can have
(08:50):
transportation to work so thatthey can pay for their homes.
It's a variety of things thatwhen they all work together,
you're able to stabilize thatfamily and they can maintain
that good, healthy environment.
Also, talk a little bit aboutsitting at the table and the
(09:10):
Department of Transportation.
How were they able tofacilitate some of the help in
helping these families tostabilize?
Speaker 1 (09:19):
It was just amazing.
So they realized that in orderto have a house, it was a share
in paying the rent, and so a lotof these families needed a job.
So they had these programs toteach people how to drive
18-wheelers.
They had a grant that would payfor the training and so they
(09:42):
would work with these eligibleapplicants for these houses and
train them how to drive a truckso that they could have a job
and help pay their part of therent.
And it was beautiful.
It wasn't a handout.
It was a hand up because thesehousing providers worked with
(10:03):
that family to help themestablish a budget and start
building toward even gettingtheir own home one day.
And we even had the story ofone woman who had been through
the program for five years andshe was able to set aside the
money as her rent went up, setaside the money in a plan
(10:25):
through the housing authorityand by the end of that five
years she had saved $17,000 toput toward a house and she was
able to get her own home.
Another story was right here inRankin County.
There was a 19-year-old singlemom who was able to get her
(10:45):
children back and I remember thecaseworker told me that she
went into her apartment but shehad no furniture.
But it was the first time shehad ever had an apartment, and
so, before she was able to getthe children, a local church
came along and they provided herwith all the furniture she
(11:06):
needed.
They filled her cabinets withgroceries and then a little
Sunday school class of women gottogether.
They taught her and walked withher on how to budget her money
and provide meals for her family, and it was a beautiful picture
.
So you often say not all of uscan adopt a child, but we've all
(11:31):
got something to give.
Well, I believe that we need tolook what has God given us?
What have assistant directorsin our state agencies that are
not unfamiliar with thehardships of the people that
(12:03):
they serve and they haverecognized this is what we have.
We've got churches all over ourstate that recognizes this is
what God has given us, and these, it's just like the ladies that
took this young woman undertheir wing.
They couldn't adopt a child,they might not have the money to
pay for her groceries, but theysure know how to teach her to
(12:27):
make that food go a long way.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
That reminds me.
We all have different gifts andtalents and God doesn't ask us
to do anything that he hadn'talready equipped us with.
He just wants us to be faithfulin using those talents, whether
that be in mentoring a youngmother that needs help or
facilitating putting furniturein a new apartment not
(12:52):
necessarily brand new furniturebut we all have something that
we can give.
You know, I'm thinking aboutthat voucher program and I
recall talking to Dr Carson.
Well, we got the vouchers forthe families and then we asked
for vouchers for children thatwe call them aging out of foster
(13:13):
care, those children that havenot found a permanent family at
the end of turning 18 to 21.
And I recall us getting thosevouchers so that those kids can
not only have a place to livebut they have case managers.
Now they have an opportunity togo to college and to have lots
(13:36):
of support to help them, becausewe know the statistics on aging
out youth are terrible withregard to addiction issues and
prison and ultimately, a shorterlife expectancy.
So it's incumbent on all of usto help them.
But I'm reminded we had gottenthose vouchers and we were
(13:58):
hearing at a conference from agroup of ladies that had
experience with the youth courtand we had a mother up there.
It looked like she was about topop because she was pregnant but
she was aging out of the systemand I recall punching a lady in
front of me and saying we'vegot to get her a place to stay
(14:21):
and she said oh, she's movinginto one of those apartments
that's covered by a voucher foraging out kids.
So you just never know how Godworks to meet those needs, and
one purpose of this podcast isto open Mississippians' eyes to
the needs that we have in ourcommunity and how they can meet
(14:44):
those needs.
Now, when we talk about hopeand the idea is that, as people
that absolutely cannot see thattomorrow can be better as we
help them to set small goalsmaybe something as simple as to
find a job or to complete aresume, so then you can find a
(15:04):
job but as they complete thosetasks, what we see is that their
hope increases.
They can see that tomorrow canbe better than today, and that
is really exciting to watchsomeone go through that.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
That's exactly right.
But again, you have to have agoal, you have to have a pathway
to that goal to see how to takethe steps to achieve that goal.
And so many times you need tohave a little help, like you've
talked about, you need thatlittle bit of help to keep that
willpower up, because whenyou're in trauma you know how
(15:44):
hard it is to maintain thatwillpower, to keep pressing
toward that goal.
And so not only did we try tohelp people identify that
pathway a little bit moreclearer through the social
services and the churches thatwere available, but we even were
able to see advocates arisewithin the different counties,
(16:06):
people who had been through thathardship before, they had
walked that road before and theywere able to help and come
alongside people that were goingthrough it.
Just like you said, they werehope agents, they were hope
dealers for these parents thatwere going through the trauma,
(16:27):
and we saw that over and overagain.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
You know, it's amazing what the community can
do when they understand thatjust giving a little hope can
propel that individual to betterand better things.
And how rewarding it is towatch and see the success that
(16:54):
you just had a little bit beinga part of A judge.
One time told me your greatestjoy will come in serving others,
and we have seen thatthroughout Mississippi, haven't
we?
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Absolutely, absolutely.
I have a feeling I might knowwho that judge was that told you
that, because we know a lot ofjudges that have hope for the
people of Mississippi.
One thing that has come to mymind recently is we may not have
a lot of material possessions,we may not have a lot of money
(17:25):
in the bank, but God's given usall something, and a lot of
times that's our own stories,and so even the bad, hard things
.
I remember you telling a few ofthose hard stories.
I've got a few of those hardstories myself.
But if we let those hardstories become hope for somebody
(17:47):
else, you never know the joyuntil you give that story away
to someone else.
It's such a deep joy that keepsyou going yourself.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
So we've been working with collaborations in
Mississippi, but recently youhave moved on.
Tell us a little bit aboutGenerous Church, which is a
group that you have worked withfor many years, but also tell us
how God has used what you havelearned with regard to
collaborations in Mississippi toreally impact God's kingdom all
(18:22):
across the world.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
So you know, our lives are a journey and it's
been a very humbling thing.
I never knew, when I was 18years old, the path that God
would take me on, but I'veworked at Generous Church since
2012,.
So I'm in my 13th year, andwhat we do is we work with
(18:48):
leaders across the world tounleash generous disciples, and
what that means is it's exactlywhat we've been talking about.
What has God put in your handthat you can give other people?
God gave me the picture ofKatrina.
That was my first experience inreally seeing the gift that he
(19:11):
had given me of collaborating,seeing what other people have
and being able to meet the needsof those who are hurting, who
need help.
So what we do at Generous Churchis we unlock generosity.
It's not just givingfinancially that's probably the
(19:34):
easiest thing but it's lookingin your hands what has God given
you and how are you going toserve others and love them and
see them where they are and helpthem?
So it's hope.
See them where they are andhelp them.
So it's hope.
It's God's gift to us and ourown generosity with what he's
given us to help others.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
You know, I think it's important for folks to
understand collaborations andwhy we need to work together.
Nobody just has a housingproblem.
Nobody just has an addictionproblem.
If they've got an addictionproblem, they've got a housing
problem.
Nobody just has an addictionproblem.
If they've got an addictionproblem, they've got a housing
problem.
(20:15):
They usually have a mentalhealth problem.
They've got family issues toboot and need to be fed and
stabilized.
And so when we collaborate, webring together resources from
different nonprofits, evendifferent churches.
Some churches specialize inaddiction and others look at
other areas.
Food pantry is a big part of mychurch.
But as our church bodies getout of those silos, as our
(20:39):
nonprofits, we're not incompetition.
There are plenty of folks forall of us to help.
But just like in Katrina, wherewe didn't matter what
organization you were part of,we all just lifted that load
together.
It is amazing when we get outof those silos and work together
as nonprofits and if you wantto look at it that way, but we
(21:04):
as believers, as we are trulythe body of Christ, not bound by
organizational walls, but seethat we accomplish so much more
together.
So you've taken that principlethat you started out with
Katrina, learned, then went onand you worked with
(21:25):
Transformation, jackson andFamilies First Initiative at own
and own Hope Rising and you'retaking that across the world.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
How effective is it being?
It's amazing we would be sittingin Mississippi and so we had
four different committees madeup of over 35 representatives in
the state.
This is the hope work that wedid, and I saw these leaders not
necessarily Christians Somewere, but they came from
(21:59):
different political backgrounds,different political parties,
different agencies, and Iremember one of our main goals
was to break down those silosand start working together.
And I saw that happen and Iwould sit there and I'd think
this is for the body of Christ.
If the state of Mississippi cando it, the body of Christ
(22:23):
should be able to do this.
And it was in my heart.
You know I was like Lord, thebody of Christ need to do this.
And it was in my heart, youknow I was like Lord, the body
of Christ need to do this.
What I see now is God hasallowed me to take that, take
our story in the state ofMississippi and inspire leaders
in the body of Christ, leadersof ministries, leaders of
(22:46):
organizations and say what doyou have, who are we serving
together and how can we cometogether, stop duplicating and
stepping on one another and worktogether and serve those with
the common vision, the commongoals that we all have together.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
The challenges are great, but when we all work
together, what we have seenagain and again that what we
thought were mountains thatcould not be climbed when we all
work together, that can be doneand it's exciting.
So, if you're listening, getinvolved in an organization and
(23:31):
then work with other groups inorder to try to change the
trajectory of families in yourarea.
And you know that's what Goddirected us to do to be his
hands and feet.
He says that when we do it untothe least of these, we do it
unto him.
You have been such a blessingto my family for so many years
(23:54):
and I am reminded, only recentlyI want to say it was November
the 5th you lost one of yourchildren.
You know, I think it's greatfor us to tell about things
we've done out there, but wealso need people to know you and
I are just normal people.
We hurt just like everybodyelse.
So could you tell just a littlebit about your family and how
(24:17):
God has been extra near in thelast several months?
Speaker 1 (24:22):
It's just amazing what hardships we can endure and
how God is with us in thosehardships.
And I tell people, brent'sdeath was the hardest gift I've
ever gotten, and the reason whyit was a gift is that we had
(24:43):
been estranged for two years.
He was in touch with my mom andhe had gotten ill in July of
last year and it was a bloodinfection that made him really,
really sick.
And so I remember in July I gota call from my mom and she said
(25:04):
Brent needs to go to thehospital and we can't talk him
into going.
And so I said give me thenumber, I'm calling him.
And so I was able to talk himinto going.
But the fear of seeing him aftertwo years, the fear of seeing
him and his body in so muchtrauma his legs were so swollen
(25:27):
his heart wasn't pumping right,his legs were so swollen he
couldn't walk and just the fearof the unknown.
You know, I was in a place thatI was not familiar with at all
and I thought back to all of theparents that get in front of a
judge that they have never beenthere before.
You know, god gave me things todraw on that gave me courage to
(25:54):
face the unknown.
And so there's a dear friendthat I met a few years ago and
he says we see Jesus in eachother's faces.
And I thought you know, lord.
I know the goal is to get Brentto this hospital.
I know the pathway is for me tobe there and meet him there,
(26:15):
but I don't have the willpower.
I need your help.
I'm terrified.
And so, through his grace andhis provision, we embarked on a
four-week journey at that timewith Brent, of back to healing.
But every step of the journey Iwould be terrified.
(26:38):
I pulled up to that hospital at10 o'clock at night that
Thursday night and I knew he hadto have a wheelchair.
I go in and I said I need awheelchair.
My son's being brought in bysome friends.
He's not going to be able towalk, he's in a lot of pain.
Can you get a wheelchair?
So I go back outside.
I turn around.
(26:59):
I hear the doors open.
I turn around.
I'm waiting for Brent's arrival.
I look and there's my cousin.
He's the triage nurse.
Wow, he said what are you doinghere?
And that was the first facethat I saw Jesus in.
Then we had to go to UMC.
We were up all night.
They had diagnosed him as beingin liver failure because of his
(27:24):
blood infection, they take himto UMC.
They can't get him a room, sohe had to wait in the ER hallway
for a room to become availableand I had to stay in the waiting
room.
There I am again, alone.
I'm fearful.
I'm like God, I need you.
And the doors open, and in walksone of these young girls, a
(27:48):
nurse.
She was a charge nurse in theER that had gone to school with
my children and she said MissCindy, what are you doing here?
And I told her and she wentback.
Well, they had started clearinga room and she came back five
minutes later and escorted me,time after time.
He was put on the floor.
I didn't even know how to getto that room.
(28:10):
I was like God, I don't knowhow to get through this hospital
.
I need you to help me.
Another sweet person came andwalked me to his room.
I get to that floor and who'sone of the secretaries at the
desk is a friend's daughter.
That was there, and it wasperson after person after person
(28:33):
.
And I said, god, this is whatwillpower means.
You put people in our paths tohelp us get there.
Well, we didn't realize it, butit was July to November.
Brent was in the hospital forfour weeks and then I had a trip
(28:53):
overseas for work and I cameback and his blood infection had
come back and so he had to goagain to the hospital.
God had restored ourrelationship and I was able to
share, you know, I was able toFaceTime him while I was out of
the country and just let himlive vicariously, you know,
(29:15):
through me, and it was such asweet time, a restoration of
relationship.
Things that he was known aboutwas his humor and how, no matter
how bad the situation was, he'dfind a way to make you laugh.
(29:38):
And so just the journey ofseeing him suffering but he
would make other people laughand bring joy to them and just
the gratitude that he had,gratitude that he had.
And then one of the sweetestthings that God gave me was
being able to baptize him in theICU on September 3rd, and just
(29:59):
the joy that he had knowing thathe was born again, that all of
the things he had done in lifewas now under the blood of Jesus
.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
You know, is that not the ultimate hope?
The hope that we have in Christthat difficult times come to
every one of us.
None of us are immune from that, and I see Jesus in you and I
hurt for you, but at the sametime I rejoice.
I rejoice you helped me walk mymother down that road to heaven
(30:37):
.
I rejoice in the hope we havein heaven.
And if you are suffering today,this is temporary, this world
is temporary, and the real hopethat we want you to have is that
hope in Christ that you cancall on him.
He is there to rescue you andhe will wrap his loving arms
(31:01):
around you.
That is such an incredible hope.
Hope, certainly, we want to meetpeople's physical needs, and
that's one purpose of thispodcast is to make people aware
of physical needs, and I thankGod for folks that have met my
physical needs from time to timeand my spiritual needs and my
(31:25):
family's.
There's some times where wecan't minister to our families.
We have to trust God to sendother folks to do that, but I
pray that folks will stop andask God well, how do you want to
use me today to make adifference, to bring hope to
someone?
Cindy, I love you dearly and Ithank you so much for sharing
(31:49):
about your life and how God isusing you even in the most
difficult times, how he isaround every corner, and I pray
that the folks that arelistening today will see Jesus
over and over again.
Thanks so much for being withus today.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
Thank you for being a light of hope in our state.
It's a privilege to have you asa friend and a privilege to get
to bring hope to Mississippiwith you.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Well, as I always say , I love your head off.
Y'all have a great day and welook forward to talking to you
again soon.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
When you need some hope and inspiration to build
collaboration.
Hope, Mississippi is yoursalvation.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
Thank you so much.
When you need some hope and inspiration to build
collaboration.
Hope Mississippi is yoursalvation.
One in four kids live inpoverty.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
One in five are food deprived.
Build collaborations and buildhope with those who are
struggling.
Hope Mississippi.
Well, hello and welcome toanother episode of Hope
(00:41):
Mississippi.
We're so glad you're joining ustoday.
I'm Dawn Beam, your host, and Iam thrilled to have my dear
friend Cindy Cheeks with ustoday.
Hello.
Speaker 1 (00:51):
Cindy, hey Dawn, it's so good to be with you again
today.
Speaker 2 (00:56):
Well now, cindy Hope, mississippi is part of Hope
Rising, a nonprofit that wasestablished in Mississippi, and
you're a part of that board,right.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
I am.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Well, just tell the group just a little bit about
how you came to be on HopeRising Mississippi Board.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
Well, it goes back about five years ago to 2018,
when we were working on someefforts addressing the child
welfare system in our state, andit led to efforts around hope
science and that turned into anonprofit, and now we are both
(01:35):
serving them and blessed toserve them on the board.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
I think it was eye-opening when we both
discovered the book Hope Risingby Dr Chan Hellman.
Tell us just a little bit abouthope and the impact it can have
on those that are sufferingfrom trauma.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
So I'll go back just a little bit.
And we had been working toeducate youth court judges on
trauma.
We did that in 2019.
And then, in 2020, covid camealong and you and I were given a
book called Hope Rising, and itwas one of those eye openers
(02:17):
that really changed our life.
It gave vocabulary to somethingthat we already knew, something
we already did, but it also ledto us saying you know, people
need hope, and what hope is isthe belief that your tomorrow
can be better than today andthat you have the power to make
(02:39):
it so.
And so what we did was we beganlooking at the child welfare
system through the lens of hopescience.
Over 2,000 research studiesshow that hope is the best
indicator of well-being.
You identify a goal, youidentify a pathway to that goal
(03:09):
and you maintain the willpowerto achieve that goal.
And so we began looking at thereasons for children being
removed from their families inthe state of Mississippi.
Over 70% of children in thestate of Mississippi were being
removed because of povertyreasons, and so we took a look
at what are those reasons, andwe began applying this framework
(03:34):
of hope to those systems andstarted trying to remove
barriers in a family's pathwayto hope of reunification with
their children.
Speaker 2 (03:46):
A lot of us are not aware of the statistics.
In our Mississippi, children'skids count.
One in four of our kids livesin poverty.
One in five is food deprived,which means at some point
they're hungry.
So that was really feeding ourfoster care system.
That was really feeding ourfoster care system.
So once we recognized that wasone problem, we went about
(04:13):
gathering resources to helpthose that were working with
struggling families so we couldkeep kids in the home.
One thing that we learned abouttrauma is the trauma of removal
is oftentimes worse than thetrauma that they're experiencing
in those unintentional neglectsituations where the folks just
don't have the money.
So when we talk about hope andthe way power, the resources,
(04:35):
tell us how you work withvarious courts in order to build
collaborations to empowerpeople to change their lives.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
It all goes back to a personal passion of mine and
that is in my Christian faith,and it goes back.
This will be my 20th year innonprofit work and it all
started in Katrina.
And during Katrina I sawvolunteers all over the state
come together.
Many were faith-based and weachieved great things.
(05:10):
We didn't get all the suppliesthat New Orleans got, but we
came together and we worked tobring relief to hurting people.
(05:30):
And what you said is so right,dawn the trauma that the whole
family goes through when they'reunder the scrutiny of the child
welfare system and it's toprotect the children.
But it's still traumatic.
Good parents that want to dowell have so often found
themselves in a conundrum of badluck, if you want to call it
that.
But I took what I saw inKatrina, what I believe to be
(05:53):
the calling of churches andChristians, regardless of your
denomination, but to see thehurting people and work together
to bring them help.
Well, I couldn't apply that atthe state level, but I do
believe in the goodness ofpeople and I saw people in all
(06:13):
these agencies who really wantedto help Mississippians achieve
their goals and achievewell-being.
And so we looked at the threemain removal reasons housing,
substance use, inability to copeof parents they're just, their
(06:34):
life has fallen apart and theyhave a hard time making ends
meet.
And then just poverty.
So economic reasons, and all ofthose are traumatic.
We recognize that parents oftenare standing in front of a
judge and they're experiencingthe trauma.
The children are experiencingthe trauma.
(06:54):
So what can we do to worktogether?
I remember just a series ofdifferent revelations that we
had, series of differentrevelations that we had.
One you had the opportunity tosit down with Dr Carson, who was
(07:15):
at the time the head of HUD,and we knew that housing was one
of the biggest reasons ofremoval.
Parents weren't able to provideadequate housing, for whatever
reason.
And you said, dr Carson, wehave got to have your help.
And I remember you called me at930 one night.
You said, cindy, our state isnot taking advantage of some
vouchers that we have theopportunity to receive.
(07:36):
And so we embarked on thatjourney of what are these
vouchers?
How can we bring this together?
And we brought people that youwould never think would work
together, who, when theyunderstood that the situation of
these families, that they couldbe reunified simply by having
(08:00):
adequate housing, they said wehave a part to play in helping
that pathway for that family bea lot smoother.
And so we all pulled in, workedtogether.
You had Department ofTransportation and one of the
housing agencies in the state ofMississippi working together to
(08:22):
make sure these families hadhope in that situation.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
You are so right, Cindy.
I remember back to that and thepower of collaborating at the
state level as well as in theregion.
Collaborating at the statelevel as well as in the region.
We worked with some folks inNorth Mississippi and you don't
just want to help a family get ahouse, you want case management
to make sure that they'resuccessful, that they can have
(08:50):
transportation to work so thatthey can pay for their homes.
It's a variety of things thatwhen they all work together,
you're able to stabilize thatfamily and they can maintain
that good, healthy environment.
Also, talk a little bit aboutsitting at the table and the
(09:10):
Department of Transportation.
How were they able tofacilitate some of the help in
helping these families tostabilize?
Speaker 1 (09:19):
It was just amazing.
So they realized that in orderto have a house, it was a share
in paying the rent, and so a lotof these families needed a job.
So they had these programs toteach people how to drive
18-wheelers.
They had a grant that would payfor the training and so they
(09:42):
would work with these eligibleapplicants for these houses and
train them how to drive a truckso that they could have a job
and help pay their part of therent.
And it was beautiful.
It wasn't a handout.
It was a hand up because thesehousing providers worked with
(10:03):
that family to help themestablish a budget and start
building toward even gettingtheir own home one day.
And we even had the story ofone woman who had been through
the program for five years andshe was able to set aside the
money as her rent went up, setaside the money in a plan
(10:25):
through the housing authorityand by the end of that five
years she had saved $17,000 toput toward a house and she was
able to get her own home.
Another story was right here inRankin County.
There was a 19-year-old singlemom who was able to get her
(10:45):
children back and I remember thecaseworker told me that she
went into her apartment but shehad no furniture.
But it was the first time shehad ever had an apartment, and
so, before she was able to getthe children, a local church
came along and they provided herwith all the furniture she
(11:06):
needed.
They filled her cabinets withgroceries and then a little
Sunday school class of women gottogether.
They taught her and walked withher on how to budget her money
and provide meals for her family, and it was a beautiful picture
.
So you often say not all of uscan adopt a child, but we've all
(11:31):
got something to give.
Well, I believe that we need tolook what has God given us?
What have assistant directorsin our state agencies that are
not unfamiliar with thehardships of the people that
(12:03):
they serve and they haverecognized this is what we have.
We've got churches all over ourstate that recognizes this is
what God has given us, and these, it's just like the ladies that
took this young woman undertheir wing.
They couldn't adopt a child,they might not have the money to
pay for her groceries, but theysure know how to teach her to
(12:27):
make that food go a long way.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
That reminds me.
We all have different gifts andtalents and God doesn't ask us
to do anything that he hadn'talready equipped us with.
He just wants us to be faithfulin using those talents, whether
that be in mentoring a youngmother that needs help or
facilitating putting furniturein a new apartment not
(12:52):
necessarily brand new furniturebut we all have something that
we can give.
You know, I'm thinking aboutthat voucher program and I
recall talking to Dr Carson.
Well, we got the vouchers forthe families and then we asked
for vouchers for children thatwe call them aging out of foster
(13:13):
care, those children that havenot found a permanent family at
the end of turning 18 to 21.
And I recall us getting thosevouchers so that those kids can
not only have a place to livebut they have case managers.
Now they have an opportunity togo to college and to have lots
(13:36):
of support to help them, becausewe know the statistics on aging
out youth are terrible withregard to addiction issues and
prison and ultimately, a shorterlife expectancy.
So it's incumbent on all of usto help them.
But I'm reminded we had gottenthose vouchers and we were
(13:58):
hearing at a conference from agroup of ladies that had
experience with the youth courtand we had a mother up there.
It looked like she was about topop because she was pregnant but
she was aging out of the systemand I recall punching a lady in
front of me and saying we'vegot to get her a place to stay
(14:21):
and she said oh, she's movinginto one of those apartments
that's covered by a voucher foraging out kids.
So you just never know how Godworks to meet those needs, and
one purpose of this podcast isto open Mississippians' eyes to
the needs that we have in ourcommunity and how they can meet
(14:44):
those needs.
Now, when we talk about hopeand the idea is that, as people
that absolutely cannot see thattomorrow can be better as we
help them to set small goalsmaybe something as simple as to
find a job or to complete aresume, so then you can find a
(15:04):
job but as they complete thosetasks, what we see is that their
hope increases.
They can see that tomorrow canbe better than today, and that
is really exciting to watchsomeone go through that.
Speaker 1 (15:20):
That's exactly right.
But again, you have to have agoal, you have to have a pathway
to that goal to see how to takethe steps to achieve that goal.
And so many times you need tohave a little help, like you've
talked about, you need thatlittle bit of help to keep that
willpower up, because whenyou're in trauma you know how
(15:44):
hard it is to maintain thatwillpower, to keep pressing
toward that goal.
And so not only did we try tohelp people identify that
pathway a little bit moreclearer through the social
services and the churches thatwere available, but we even were
able to see advocates arisewithin the different counties,
(16:06):
people who had been through thathardship before, they had
walked that road before and theywere able to help and come
alongside people that were goingthrough it.
Just like you said, they werehope agents, they were hope
dealers for these parents thatwere going through the trauma,
(16:27):
and we saw that over and overagain.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
You know, it's amazing what the community can
do when they understand thatjust giving a little hope can
propel that individual to betterand better things.
And how rewarding it is towatch and see the success that
(16:54):
you just had a little bit beinga part of A judge.
One time told me your greatestjoy will come in serving others,
and we have seen thatthroughout Mississippi, haven't
we?
Speaker 1 (17:04):
Absolutely, absolutely.
I have a feeling I might knowwho that judge was that told you
that, because we know a lot ofjudges that have hope for the
people of Mississippi.
One thing that has come to mymind recently is we may not have
a lot of material possessions,we may not have a lot of money
(17:25):
in the bank, but God's given usall something, and a lot of
times that's our own stories,and so even the bad, hard things
.
I remember you telling a few ofthose hard stories.
I've got a few of those hardstories myself.
But if we let those hardstories become hope for somebody
(17:47):
else, you never know the joyuntil you give that story away
to someone else.
It's such a deep joy that keepsyou going yourself.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
So we've been working with collaborations in
Mississippi, but recently youhave moved on.
Tell us a little bit aboutGenerous Church, which is a
group that you have worked withfor many years, but also tell us
how God has used what you havelearned with regard to
collaborations in Mississippi toreally impact God's kingdom all
(18:22):
across the world.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
So you know, our lives are a journey and it's
been a very humbling thing.
I never knew, when I was 18years old, the path that God
would take me on, but I'veworked at Generous Church since
2012,.
So I'm in my 13th year, andwhat we do is we work with
(18:48):
leaders across the world tounleash generous disciples, and
what that means is it's exactlywhat we've been talking about.
What has God put in your handthat you can give other people?
God gave me the picture ofKatrina.
That was my first experience inreally seeing the gift that he
(19:11):
had given me of collaborating,seeing what other people have
and being able to meet the needsof those who are hurting, who
need help.
So what we do at Generous Churchis we unlock generosity.
It's not just givingfinancially that's probably the
(19:34):
easiest thing but it's lookingin your hands what has God given
you and how are you going toserve others and love them and
see them where they are and helpthem?
So it's hope.
See them where they are andhelp them.
So it's hope.
It's God's gift to us and ourown generosity with what he's
given us to help others.
Speaker 2 (19:55):
You know, I think it's important for folks to
understand collaborations andwhy we need to work together.
Nobody just has a housingproblem.
Nobody just has an addictionproblem.
If they've got an addictionproblem, they've got a housing
problem.
Nobody just has an addictionproblem.
If they've got an addictionproblem, they've got a housing
problem.
(20:15):
They usually have a mentalhealth problem.
They've got family issues toboot and need to be fed and
stabilized.
And so when we collaborate, webring together resources from
different nonprofits, evendifferent churches.
Some churches specialize inaddiction and others look at
other areas.
Food pantry is a big part of mychurch.
But as our church bodies getout of those silos, as our
(20:39):
nonprofits, we're not incompetition.
There are plenty of folks forall of us to help.
But just like in Katrina, wherewe didn't matter what
organization you were part of,we all just lifted that load
together.
It is amazing when we get outof those silos and work together
as nonprofits and if you wantto look at it that way, but we
(21:04):
as believers, as we are trulythe body of Christ, not bound by
organizational walls, but seethat we accomplish so much more
together.
So you've taken that principlethat you started out with
Katrina, learned, then went onand you worked with
(21:25):
Transformation, jackson andFamilies First Initiative at own
and own Hope Rising and you'retaking that across the world.
Speaker 1 (21:35):
How effective is it being?
It's amazing we would be sittingin Mississippi and so we had
four different committees madeup of over 35 representatives in
the state.
This is the hope work that wedid, and I saw these leaders not
necessarily Christians Somewere, but they came from
(21:59):
different political backgrounds,different political parties,
different agencies, and Iremember one of our main goals
was to break down those silosand start working together.
And I saw that happen and Iwould sit there and I'd think
this is for the body of Christ.
If the state of Mississippi cando it, the body of Christ
(22:23):
should be able to do this.
And it was in my heart.
You know I was like Lord, thebody of Christ need to do this.
And it was in my heart, youknow I was like Lord, the body
of Christ need to do this.
What I see now is God hasallowed me to take that, take
our story in the state ofMississippi and inspire leaders
in the body of Christ, leadersof ministries, leaders of
(22:46):
organizations and say what doyou have, who are we serving
together and how can we cometogether, stop duplicating and
stepping on one another and worktogether and serve those with
the common vision, the commongoals that we all have together.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
The challenges are great, but when we all work
together, what we have seenagain and again that what we
thought were mountains thatcould not be climbed when we all
work together, that can be doneand it's exciting.
So, if you're listening, getinvolved in an organization and
(23:31):
then work with other groups inorder to try to change the
trajectory of families in yourarea.
And you know that's what Goddirected us to do to be his
hands and feet.
He says that when we do it untothe least of these, we do it
unto him.
You have been such a blessingto my family for so many years
(23:54):
and I am reminded, only recentlyI want to say it was November
the 5th you lost one of yourchildren.
You know, I think it's greatfor us to tell about things
we've done out there, but wealso need people to know you and
I are just normal people.
We hurt just like everybodyelse.
So could you tell just a littlebit about your family and how
(24:17):
God has been extra near in thelast several months?
Speaker 1 (24:22):
It's just amazing what hardships we can endure and
how God is with us in thosehardships.
And I tell people, brent'sdeath was the hardest gift I've
ever gotten, and the reason whyit was a gift is that we had
(24:43):
been estranged for two years.
He was in touch with my mom andhe had gotten ill in July of
last year and it was a bloodinfection that made him really,
really sick.
And so I remember in July I gota call from my mom and she said
(25:04):
Brent needs to go to thehospital and we can't talk him
into going.
And so I said give me thenumber, I'm calling him.
And so I was able to talk himinto going.
But the fear of seeing him aftertwo years, the fear of seeing
him and his body in so muchtrauma his legs were so swollen
(25:27):
his heart wasn't pumping right,his legs were so swollen he
couldn't walk and just the fearof the unknown.
You know, I was in a place thatI was not familiar with at all
and I thought back to all of theparents that get in front of a
judge that they have never beenthere before.
You know, god gave me things todraw on that gave me courage to
(25:54):
face the unknown.
And so there's a dear friendthat I met a few years ago and
he says we see Jesus in eachother's faces.
And I thought you know, lord.
I know the goal is to get Brentto this hospital.
I know the pathway is for me tobe there and meet him there,
(26:15):
but I don't have the willpower.
I need your help.
I'm terrified.
And so, through his grace andhis provision, we embarked on a
four-week journey at that timewith Brent, of back to healing.
But every step of the journey Iwould be terrified.
(26:38):
I pulled up to that hospital at10 o'clock at night that
Thursday night and I knew he hadto have a wheelchair.
I go in and I said I need awheelchair.
My son's being brought in bysome friends.
He's not going to be able towalk, he's in a lot of pain.
Can you get a wheelchair?
So I go back outside.
I turn around.
(26:59):
I hear the doors open.
I turn around.
I'm waiting for Brent's arrival.
I look and there's my cousin.
He's the triage nurse.
Wow, he said what are you doinghere?
And that was the first facethat I saw Jesus in.
Then we had to go to UMC.
We were up all night.
They had diagnosed him as beingin liver failure because of his
(27:24):
blood infection, they take himto UMC.
They can't get him a room, sohe had to wait in the ER hallway
for a room to become availableand I had to stay in the waiting
room.
There I am again, alone.
I'm fearful.
I'm like God, I need you.
And the doors open, and in walksone of these young girls, a
(27:48):
nurse.
She was a charge nurse in theER that had gone to school with
my children and she said MissCindy, what are you doing here?
And I told her and she wentback.
Well, they had started clearinga room and she came back five
minutes later and escorted me,time after time.
He was put on the floor.
I didn't even know how to getto that room.
(28:10):
I was like God, I don't knowhow to get through this hospital
.
I need you to help me.
Another sweet person came andwalked me to his room.
I get to that floor and who'sone of the secretaries at the
desk is a friend's daughter.
That was there, and it wasperson after person after person
(28:33):
.
And I said, god, this is whatwillpower means.
You put people in our paths tohelp us get there.
Well, we didn't realize it, butit was July to November.
Brent was in the hospital forfour weeks and then I had a trip
(28:53):
overseas for work and I cameback and his blood infection had
come back and so he had to goagain to the hospital.
God had restored ourrelationship and I was able to
share, you know, I was able toFaceTime him while I was out of
the country and just let himlive vicariously, you know,
(29:15):
through me, and it was such asweet time, a restoration of
relationship.
Things that he was known aboutwas his humor and how, no matter
how bad the situation was, he'dfind a way to make you laugh.
(29:38):
And so just the journey ofseeing him suffering but he
would make other people laughand bring joy to them and just
the gratitude that he had,gratitude that he had.
And then one of the sweetestthings that God gave me was
being able to baptize him in theICU on September 3rd, and just
(29:59):
the joy that he had knowing thathe was born again, that all of
the things he had done in lifewas now under the blood of Jesus
.
Speaker 2 (30:12):
You know, is that not the ultimate hope?
The hope that we have in Christthat difficult times come to
every one of us.
None of us are immune from that, and I see Jesus in you and I
hurt for you, but at the sametime I rejoice.
I rejoice you helped me walk mymother down that road to heaven
(30:37):
.
I rejoice in the hope we havein heaven.
And if you are suffering today,this is temporary, this world
is temporary, and the real hopethat we want you to have is that
hope in Christ that you cancall on him.
He is there to rescue you andhe will wrap his loving arms
(31:01):
around you.
That is such an incredible hope.
Hope, certainly, we want to meetpeople's physical needs, and
that's one purpose of thispodcast is to make people aware
of physical needs, and I thankGod for folks that have met my
physical needs from time to timeand my spiritual needs and my
(31:25):
family's.
There's some times where wecan't minister to our families.
We have to trust God to sendother folks to do that, but I
pray that folks will stop andask God well, how do you want to
use me today to make adifference, to bring hope to
someone?
Cindy, I love you dearly and Ithank you so much for sharing
(31:49):
about your life and how God isusing you even in the most
difficult times, how he isaround every corner, and I pray
that the folks that arelistening today will see Jesus
over and over again.
Thanks so much for being withus today.
Speaker 1 (32:07):
Thank you for being a light of hope in our state.
It's a privilege to have you asa friend and a privilege to get
to bring hope to Mississippiwith you.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Well, as I always say , I love your head off.
Y'all have a great day and welook forward to talking to you
again soon.
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (32:25):
When you need some hope and inspiration to build
collaboration.
Hope, Mississippi is yoursalvation.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
Thank you so much.
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