A Grateful Parent Reflects On Her Daughter’s Time At Hope Residence
When Anna and her husband adopted their daughter Stephanie from Romania over two decades ago, they knew raising a child on the autism spectrum would have its share of ups and downs. One of those “ups” was when Stephanie moved into Hope Residence two years ago.
Stephanie, now 23, had started craving her independence as an adult, but didn’t want to move too far away from her parents. So her mother, Anna took her on a tour of Hope Residence, and during their visit, they were greeted multiple times by a resident in a wheelchair named Jeanie.
“She made both Steph and I smile and giggle. Even though we were greeted by others, we felt Jeanie was the true ‘welcome wagon,’ as she warmed our hearts with her huge smile and presence.”
-Anna, Stephanie’s mom
On their drive home, Stephanie shared with her mom that she had enjoyed the tour and liked Hope. Shortly after that conversation, the pair saw a huge rainbow in the sky and agreed it was a sign that everything would work out. A few weeks later, there was an opening at Hope, and the rest is history.
Today, even though Stephanie is the youngest resident at Hope, she loves the constant company around her, and her faith in Christ is maturing.
“Stephanie is excited to hear about eternal life in heaven through Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. She wants to share the good news with everyone.”
—Pastor Patrick Feldhus, Chaplain at Hope
When Stephanie visits her parents at home, she is always anxious to get back to her friends at Hope. “That makes us feel good,” says Anna. “We’re happy Stephanie is so happy, and we tell her that’s all that matters.”