More Fortress

Our girls encountered so many faces and so many stories at Fortress. They will remember Zsa Zsa and Greg. They both work in the night shelter that we visited and helped during dinner. Zsa Zsa loved our girls and they loved her. She is full of life and energy. She made the girls laugh and encouraged to stay on the right path. She kept telling all the adults that these were good girls. We know that but it was great to hear it from someone outside our family. She got the girls excited about their jobs there that night and organized them and put them to work. A little later she pulled them all into the corner to talk to them. The sponsors followed. Zsa Zsa quickly shooed us away...you, you and you...and brushed her hand away from her. Erin walked away with the rest of us but Zsa Zsa thought she was one of the girls. Julie F., Sarah and myself quickly sent her back in to spy because we desperately wanted to hear what she had to say. She told the girls about "the rules". Rules to live by...no drugs, no sex until you are married, no alcohol, no lying, no cheating, and stay in school and make good grades. She told them to hold each other to those rules. Zsa Zsa hugged all of us at least once. The girls want her to come visit Abilene. They invited her to come to the rodeo with us on Friday night. They were smitten. What a light Zsa Zsa is in that dark shelter. The girls will never forget her.
Greg also helped organize the girls but his biggest impact was in the parking lot. He told the girls part of his story. He told how circumstances and bad choices had landed him where he is right now. He talked about substance abuse and a debilitating injury. He told the girls that he lives in this shelter that he works in. But then Greg prayed...and man, can Greg pray! As soon as words started coming out of his mouth, goosebumps spread all up and down my body starting with my toes and straight up to my head. He prayed over our girls and the shelter. God was listening and moving in that circle in the parking lot.
I thanked God for the Presbyterian Night Shelter.