There's No Place Like (a safe) Home!

In times of crisis such as this, when uncertainty causes fear because of  health and financial concerns, the reality of domestic abuse escalates.  Domestic abuse is often hidden, like Covid 19, until it becomes deadly.  When home becomes a dangerous place to be, women and children need to find a safe place.  The Dwelling Place is here for them.

Read Celia's Story:  

When she was 21 Celia married a man who was quite a bit older than she was.  They had a child together. Sadly, he was emotionally and sexually abusive to her and endangered her safety. On one occasion, he choked her and chased her. Her neighbor witnessed the event and called the police.

Celia separated from him for six months but returned to try to make the relationship work. She really wanted her daughter to have a father. She stayed for another five months. His neglect, manipulation, and abuse continued, along with his addiction to pornography and promiscuity. Their  marriage ended. 

The abuse cycle continued for Celia when she met another man who was very sweet, caring and romantic to her initially, making her feel wanted and loved. However, he became increasingly emotionally, verbally, and physically abusive toward her. Their relationship was a cycle of tension-building, abusive  episodes, and honeymoon phases where he would vacillate between being  ruthless and apologetically sweet. She felt trapped, confused, scared, and disoriented. His words made her think that she was worthless and deserved the abuse. 

She left and eventually found The Dwelling Place.

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The Dwelling Place provides four safe homes with living spaces and beds for more families in need (capacity 57) because of domestic abuse. To our knowledge, The Dwelling Place is the largest Christ-centered shelter for victims of domestic abuse in Minnesota. We know that God has provided in amazing ways to make this possible and we praise HIM for the gift of safety! 

Providing safe housing and supportive services for families is costly. Often, women and children come to us with only what they can carry. We faithfully seek and rely on financial gifts to safely operate our homes (Sandy’s, Ruth’s, Esther’s and Lydia’s) and provide for their many needs .  

Offering this blessing of a “safe home” has been multiplied dramatically in recent years. In 2019, we served 72 women and children and already, in 2020, we have had an increase in the number of women and children seeking safety. For them, there’s no place like a (safe) home!

Will you please help us reach our goal of raising $150,000 this Spring to provide housing and support for families through the summer months? 

We believe there’s no place like home filled with the love of Christ to satisfy the needs of a longing soul. Each woman and child who comes to The Dwelling Place hopes in their heart for a safe place to call home. They long for a place where they might find the support and care they need to heal from the trauma of abuse so they can live in freedom.

Thank you for providing safety and support for women and children fleeing domestic abuse!