success stories

As we begin 2008, Rainbow Village’s homes are full. In the last few months, we completed the maintenance work required on four of our homes, and moved in six new families. There are now thirty children living at Rainbow Village. These are some of their stories:

The stories¹ of the children of Rainbow Village before they came to Rainbow Village…

Juan’s Story
Juan and his brother lived in a storage unit not far from their old apartment. At night their mother would unroll an extension cord attached to a small lamp and plug it into the outlet outside their unit so the darkness inside would not be so scary. In the morning she would get up extra early and walk to the nearby convenience store and buy water for washing and drinking and something for their breakfast. Next she would walk them to their old school bus stop like everything was normal. Once they were on the bus she would leave for work. His mother found out about Rainbow Village through the Department of Family and Child Services.

Peter’s Story
Peter, his mother, and his baby sister Lily, had been living in the shelter for two months. For a while they had been living in a house with their father and their grandpa. Their grandpa’s house was in the country. When they moved there, Peter’s mother had to quit her job. Peter had always been afraid of his father. Often his father would drive away in their car, and sometimes it would be weeks before they would see him again. His grandfather did not have money for a telephone or a car. When his mother became worried about having enough food for them and diapers for his sister she would walk a long way to the nearest neighbor’s house to use their telephone and try to find his father. One night his father hit his mother so hard he broke her jaw and he, his mom, and his sister walked to the neighbor’s house and the neighbor called an ambulance. The social worker at the shelter told his mother about Rainbow Village.

Latisha’s Story
Latisha and her baby brother had been living in their family’s car for a couple of weeks. Her mother would park the car in different places; wherever she thought they would be safe for the night. Her mother had lost her job and they could no longer afford their apartment so their landlord had evicted them. Although her mother had started a new job she only had enough money to pay for food, water, and daycare for her brother. When Latisha’s teacher and the school counselor noticed that Latisha was wearing the same clothes for several days in a row, they talked with Latisha and gave her information about Rainbow Village to give to her mother.

Bonnie's Story
To quote Forrest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.” I cannot say that I totally agree with this statement. My name is Bonnie. I am the mother of six. It’s true, we may not know what is in store for us in the future, but if we plan for bumps in the road we will be better prepared to hurdle them. I feel that the choices that we make in our lives write out our future. Two years ago, I was being evicted from my home and had no where to go. You see I had disappointed my family so many times that they had washed their hands of me. I was working at a catering company that did not pay enough. I would not try to get a better job because my self esteem was lower than dirt.

But my silver lining came when I found a phone number on the bulletin board of our local Y.M.C.A. It was the phone number for Rainbow Village. I made a life changing choice and called them. When I first arrived at the Rainbow Village office for my interview I wasn’t able to look anyone in the eye. I was scared that I would be judged by the staff, just as I had been judged by society. I had made a choice inside of me to never look back and to always, from that day on, go forward. Through meetings and phone conversations with the Rainbow Village staff I gradually realized that I would be a part of the Rainbow Village family forever. Each day that passed, I grew more and more confident within myself. I learned to forgive myself and love myself. I successfully graduated from Rainbow Village on August 1, 2006. Since my transformation from barely surviving to greatly thriving, I have gone back to school to get my associates degree. I will graduate in May of 2008 from the Medical Assistant of Technology program at Lincoln College.

I have learned a lot at Rainbow Village. I learned that you cannot change people, you can only change the way you react to the things they do. I also learned that I do deserve great things. You see the day I walked into Rainbow Village, the staff saw in me everything that I could not see. They saw all of the gifts and talents that I had within me. Then, they all worked together to help me recognize them and bring them out. I am a productive citizen now and I love sharing with my community. Where before, I was always thinking about myself, I now enjoy helping others and giving back to my community. I feel very blessed and privileged to be a part of the Rainbow Village family. I know that coming there was a kingdom connection. I now have an awesome relationship with my Mom and Dad. They are very proud of the achievements and changes that I have made in my life. They see that this change is forever and support me in every area of my life. I had to do my part so that God could do his. This was my personal belief.

Everyone that comes to Rainbow Village has to make the changes necessary in their lives and believe in their own way. I feel that the only thing that can stop me from an awesome future is me. Before I came to Rainbow Village I could see no future for me. I was a people pleaser and always did what they wanted me to do. I now know that I want to become a nurse, and thanks to Rainbow Village showing me and teaching me, I have the confidence that I need to continue my education and fulfill that call. If you could only see through my eyes and the staff at Rainbow Villages eyes you would see where I have come from, where I am now and what an awesome future I have. You could have been a part of my transformation and watched me grow. To Rainbow Village it was like watching one of their children learning to walk and talk and feed themselves and every once in a while they were there to pick me up if I stumbled a little, to kiss the boo boo’s, tell me everything was going to be okay and to try it again. Don’t get me wrong they never sugar coated anything. They simply loved me, flaws and all. They watched from the side lines cheering as I learned from the mistakes that I made. I will forever be changed because they accepted me for who I was and for who they knew I would someday become. Each time I walk through the door of the Rainbow Village offices I can see the eyes and faces of the staff that have watched me grow fill with pride. This makes me want to do everything in my life to its highest potential. Thank you Rainbow Village for showing me that I am not a victim, for bringing out the grown up in me and for helping me see that I am worthy of great things, and that I can achieve anything that I put my mind to.

Amy's Story
My name is Amy and Rainbow Village gave me a new life. I can still recall it in my mind as if it was yesterday.. I remember 8 years ago going before the panel to describe why my family should be selected for the last unit available in Rainbow Village. I was living with my ex-husband in a very nice home in Peachtree Corner. We had divorced 2 months prior. Knowing that I had no other place to go, he used that at his advantage and agreed to have us to remain living in the same home. Staying there, I was subject to all source of abuse. In June of 1996, after he had forced himself upon me, I knew I had to leave.. I had no idea where I would go or no place to turn- but to God. I start praying and asking God to show me the way. I called the Gwinnett County Helpline and told them about my situation. They told me about Rainbow Village and I was given a contact number. I had never heard of transitional housing before and did not know what I was getting into. I got an application and filled it out, and given an appointment time to go before the board.

On June 18 1996, there I stood, in front of the panel, with tears streaming down my face, filled with pain, rejection, and fear, holding my baby boy in my arms; I answered all the questions the panel had to ask.

Not knowing If I would be accepted or not.. I went back home and start packing. He got angry, asking me where did I plan to go? Had I landed another guy who would take me in with a baby? Not even caring that was his own son, his own flesh and blood. Within two long weeks, I was told that my family was chosen.. I was very happy but nevertheless I felt bad for the families that was not chosen, and I promised myself I was be out within 6 months to give someone else a chance.

We were given a very small cozy cottage home to live in-complete with everything including a phone. At Rainbow Village, I met new friends, I met people who truly loved me, and did not want anything back in return, I was taught how to budget, save, and to take care of my household, of all boys, who were ages 15, 9 years, and 10 months at the time.

In January of 1997 I moved into my own townhouse after 5 1/2 months of living at RV. Rainbow Village had set me up to win. I have a little savings, I had landed a great job with an advertising company. I left RV feeling secure and in control.

Once into my town home, my ex found out where I was living, and I was intimidated by him to the point where I started dating, and sleeping with him again, and It was the worst thing that could had happen. This time he became even more physical abusive to me and I had him sent to jail.. Rainbow Village and Nancy Yancey stuck by me, helped me to obtain an attorney, and set me up for counseling, so I can get a way from co-dependency, in-which I felt I had become. My ex continued for years stalking me and trying to control me. But I wasn't about to fall into that trap once again.

I got myself back on track within 3 months and started my focus back on me and my family...

Within 1 year I rented a house and joined a church in which I have been a member for 7 years. My oldest son graduated from High School in 1999 and from there he went on to Mercer University and graduated from there in 2003, obtaining 3 majors in Biology, Chemistry and Spanish. He is currently utilizing them all working at a company near-by our home. At graduation he was asked what was he going to do now… (Putting on hold, his life long dream of becoming a doctor) He said, "Move back home, work, and help my mom to raise my brothers... She needs all the help she can get."

It's 2004 and we are all doing quite well. I am an office manager for a company in Atlanta going on 5 years now. My middle child is a junior in High school, and plays football, basketball, and runs track...He's a typical teenager... My youngest is almost 9 years old and he is into reading, soccer and he is a straight A student... The only thing that saddens me is the fact that his father refuses to see him because I will not allow him to control my life.

With the faith I have, and with God on my side, we will continue to do well... When life gives you lemons, add some sugar, shake it up and make lemonade, and enjoy it, because life is so short. I will forever be grateful to Rainbow Village. And to Nancy Yancey! I love you guys!

Advice for those who may be in the shoes I was in. When you are given an opportunity to start over, make the best of it... Put God and your children first.. You can live without a man, but living without God or my three boys would have been impossible.. I have no regrets about my life... I am happy I had the guts to leave. Rainbow Village was there to support me...and they stuck by my side until I had wings to fly on my own. We need more Rainbow Villages because there are a lot of women, with children who are in those shoes I once wore...

God is good...and I am grateful.

Neil's Story
In the late 1990s I was working as an environmental consultant for an engineering firm in Atlanta. I had been with the firm for nearly eleven years when the owner instituted a drastic reorganization of the company. There were three divisions within the firm and I was the director of one. The owner decided to eliminate the director positions for all three divisions and thus I and two other senior employees were unexpectedly unemployed. Needless to say, this was shocking and devastating to all three of us and our families. As the reality of what happen began to sink in I began to ask a lot of soul searching questions. What should I do first? Where should I go first? Why? Will I get through this without it having a negative lasting impact on my family? Did this happen for a reason I don’t currently understand? The questions kept coming but not many answers.

One answer that kept coming to mind was, “There must be a reason.” Maybe there was something right in front of me that needed my attention right now more than my career. Is it my family? Is it something else?

I began the process of updating my resume, reaching out to my business contacts, searching job databases and all the customary obligations one does at a time like that. Over the next few weeks, I was asked by the associate and senior pastors of my church if I would be interested in becoming involved in a local mission effort to refurbish a set of apartments that had been donated to an organization call Rainbow Village. Rainbow Village, it was explained to me, was an organization that provided housing for families on the brink of becoming homeless.

Well, I could not find a good reason to say no. I could still keep up the job search, schedule interviews, do the many small jobs around the house that always seem to get put off and still have time to spare. So, I agreed to meet with the Rainbow Village staff and see if I could help. Well the rest is history. Over the next several months I found myself coordinating efforts for work days at the apartments, assisting with furniture drives to furnish the apartments, painting, cleaning, repairing things and whatever else needed to be done. After several more months of job searching and working at the Rainbow Village apartments I began to notice that this thing was catching on all around me. More and more people from my church and about five or six other local churches were now involved and enjoying ever minute of it. A local hardware store even graciously offered to donate the much needed supplies. It seemed that the whole community wanted this to happen and there I was right in the middle of a bee hive of volunteers eager to help.

It took a full nine months to get everything finished to the point the apartments were ready for occupancy. On a Saturday before the first families arrived, the Rainbow Village staff held a barbeque picnic and dedication ceremony at the apartments. All were invited that had given so much time and effort. What a great day! After the dedication, I took one last walk through each beautifully refurbished and furnished apartment and it came to me like a splash of cold water in the face. I was done with this Rainbow Village project for now and I must re-double my efforts to find employment. Numerous interviews had resulted in no job offers and my unemployment compensation was about to end. Yet, there was a sense of calmness and quietness about the fact that I had now been unemployed for nine months.

Here is the amazing part of this story. The Monday after the picnic and dedication I received a very generous job offer from a highly respected engineering firm in Atlanta. I was to begin work as soon as possible. On Tuesday I opened the mailbox to find my final unemployment compensation check as my benefit period had ended. Life is full of coincidences isn’t it? I choose to believe otherwise.

Anonymous 15-year old "graduate" of Rainbow Village
When I think of Rainbow Village and the great, amazing things they have done for me and my family, one word comes to mind. Gratitude. I’m grateful for all the things they have done for us. They’ve kept us from moving from hotel to hotel and school to school. I have now found what I wanted – Stability. They have provided great Christmases and have helped my mother save money. They have helped her go to school. I just want to say thanks!

¹Although their names have been changed to protect their privacy, these stories are representative of the stories of the children who live at Rainbow Village.