The Dallas Justice Revival was featured prominently in the June 2010 issue of Sojourners magazine. Check out Catherine Cuellar's essay, "Now the Work Begins":
Sharon Tillis had every comfort of a “good Christian wife”: a home, a car, a job, and children. In her 40s she also faced some challenges other Christians hadn’t—bipolar disorder, domestic violence, and shame about surviving incest. Deciding whether to stay in an unhealthy marriage or get divorced and risk homelessness, she chose the latter.
“God was with me every step of the way,” Tillis says now of her journey. After two years of counseling, time spent sleeping in her car and on the couches of friends and family members, and 18 months in and out of shelters, Tillis finally has a home to call her own again. CityWalk@Akard, a mixed-use high rise developed over the past five years by the nonprofit Central Dallas Ministries (whose chair, Larry James, served on Justice Revival’s leadership team) includes 200 affordable apartments. Of these, 50 have been designated as permanent supportive housing for formerly homeless residents like Tillis. CityWalk’s expected completion in spring 2010 is in the context of a Greater Dallas Justice Revival goal of developing a total of 700 new units.
“I could go to church and stay at members’ houses a couple of months or so. The church can provide me, I guess, with gas money or whatever I need, food. But to provide me housing—that’s a miracle.” Tillis says. “I feel independent, self-sufficient. I feel like I can do anything now. I have peace of mind. I don’t have to worry about where I’m going to lay my head. It gave me all of that. It gave me hope.”
To read the entire essay click here.
I am so glad that CityWalk is working for those that are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Due to tax credits by the city and being a full time student, it was discovered on my interview last year, that I did not qualify. We all learn everyday, we were almost all in tears at the CDC office. CDC took me under their wing and found a place in one of their other affordable units. The Lord is awesome to provide Central Dallas Ministries everything that actually makes a real difference. I believe that all cities in America need to address more social issues at a much faster pace. Bless you Central Dallas Ministries.
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