“I’ll Be Back”

When Judy checked out, she said “I’ll be back”.

True to her word, she soon moved from West Virginia to Winston Salem and became a house volunteer.

“I just want to help families feel what I felt when I stayed. It’s a passion of mine. I want to help families know that this Family House is a safe house.”     — Judy (left) visiting with a guest

What impact did the Family House have on you as a guest?
I walked in and saw Marcia’s smiling face and just felt an overwhelming sense of love that I never felt before. I remember taking a tour and thinking ‘I need to be part of this. Someone is doing all of this for us.’ Everyone always asks each other ‘How’s your loved one?’ or ‘How can I help you?’ It brings me to tears to remember how it felt.

Tell us a memory from your stay:
There was one guest that reminded me of my mother – she loved to cook and that was how she found relief while her son was in the hospital. One Sunday afternoon she was in the kitchen and we asked, ‘what are you doing?’ She was making a peach cobbler. We were just like kids, right up under her watching her and listening to how she made it.

How has being a former guest impacted your volunteer service?
I know that it is a house of love. I know that if there’s anything you need just ask for it. I mean, one man asked for glasses and he got glasses!
I know you don’t have to be anxious about anything – just come in and receive what’s here waiting for you. There are so many people here ready to give you exactly what God knows that you need to get you through this time in your life.