Rebuilding Home, Rebuilding Faith

I’m a mother of three little boys in the middle of a turning point. After years of living close to the land in Peru, our family is entering a new chapter—creating a stable home, rebuilding our life, and carrying forward the values of stewardship and community. This GoFundMe is an invitation to help us root and begin again.

A Life Rooted in Service and Stewardship

For the past several years, my three sons and I lived deep in the Peruvian high jungle. We went there with a vision: to live close to the land, practice conservation, find a lasting home to call our own, and build a community rooted in service. It was an experiment in simplicity, sustainability, and devotion.

Loss, Transition, and Lessons

The jungle was as demanding as it was beautiful. Over time, termites, rats, cockroaches and relentless humidity consumed much of our belongings. Inflation, currency shifts, and the high costs of being a resident in a foreign country without much family support took a heavy toll. I had no idea what we’d be facing when we moved there and moved back to our original little town.

I also left a long-term partnership of 12 years. That decision was not made lightly; I tried everything I could to create a healthy family structure, but both people must be willing to build together. Leaving meant walking away from almost everything—belongings, security, and the identity I’d built—but it also marked a commitment to my children’s well-being and to my own healing.

I share this not to blame or expose anyone, but to acknowledge the reality I take responsibility for creating: surviving childhood trauma, repeating relationship patterns, and then choosing to break them has been part of my path. It’s also where I’ve learned the most—about boundaries, resilience, and the courage to start over.

Where We Stand Now

Since leaving, I’ve been rebuilding from the ground up. I’ve simplified our life, lived within our means, mended and reused what I can, stayed out of debt, asked for help, was able to fix most of the issues of our teeth, and even started a small savings account for safety. I’ve consistently grown my writing and coaching online, but it’s been slow to cover all of our needs.

I’ve been sick in bed, over the last few weeks with a flu/sinus infection that went to both ears and reduced my hearing to 20%. its a lot like living in an echo-y tunnel. Then as I was finally on my feet again, one of the boys slammed a door and my hand was in the door jam and broke a couple fingers that I use for body work and typing. What are the chances!? I’ve had a series of hiccups and challenges that have brought me to humility that I cannot do this alone.

My part is that that I make sure my boys have nutritious, consistent meals even when cooking is a challenge here. I’ve been helping them though enormous emotional upheaval as we move to more structure and social interaction while they grieve the loss of the family unit that once was and the trees that were their literal jungle gym.

We’re grateful for every bit of support—clothes, furniture, dental care and funds up to this point—that have helped us get this far. The money we made and received so far went to blankets, beds, warm clothes and shoes. A bit of café time, meant a place to work, a meal once and a while that I didn’t have to cook, has been my safe place, and place to connect to others— not a luxury but a small support that let me keep showing up for my kids and my work and the bit that I’ve invested in self.

I’ve also been taking steps to heal from dependency at every level: quitting smoking, cutting out coffee, being very careful and fastidious about purchase and facing old pain without numbing. This is a painful but liberating process.

Why I’m Asking for Help

People often assume I’m “okay” because I appear capable and because I don’t share when I’m drowning or struggling. I go into meditation, gain clarity and then get up to do what I need to do. But we’re still short of covering all our needs. Asking for support is uncomfortable and humbling , but it’s part of practicing openness and allowing help in as we transition out of survival mode.

The more I have tried to push through to carry this move and transition to get back on my feet alone, the more I’ve been shown that its time to let others in about what we’ve been going through. The series of unexpected events and challenges have been fast and keep telling me, Let people in. It;s humbling to support a family solo and not know when I can work. Somehow I still I know it’s for a reason for my learning and growth.

This GoFundMe will help us:

• Secure a stable, long-term home on fertile ground for my children.

• Cover basic living costs during this rebuilding period.

• Invest in small essentials (like shoes that fit and have good traction, household basics) that make daily life manageable.

• Continue building my work and sharing the lessons and practices that have grown from our journey.

Moving Forward with Clarity and Heart

I’m no longer idealizing or overachieving; I’m learning to stand in the middle—showing up with clarity, steadiness, and an open heart. I’m using the gifts of empathy, observation, and resilience that grew out of my past to create a healthier future for my family and to continue our service and stewardship work.

If you’ve ever been touched by my writing, my bodywork, or our community projects—or if you simply believe in supporting someone rebuilding with integrity—I invite you to contribute. Every donation, no matter the size, helps us plant the seeds for a stable and rooted future.

Thank you for reading, for sharing, and for holding us in your heart as we take this next step.