Hard Working Family Needs Help

Marla, a 30 year old, autistic, overwhelmed and depressed single mother, moved to Oregon with her 1 year old, autistic son. They lived in a van for a time with dreams of living a more sustainable, happier life, in intentional community, free of the pressures of the life she left behind. Fast forward 6 years, she has had a second amazing child (also showing signs of neurodiversity), and now has met the love of her life, the partner she never knew she deserved.

Together for the past 2 years, Marla, her partner Jessica, their son Mazer (7) and their daughter Jett (3) were living in a comfortable house on a large farm growing food, animals and children and living sustainably as possible. The house had been purchased by Marla’s father for the young family to be able to live comfortably despite their poverty. It was their dream situation!! All of them had never been happier. 

As part of the rental agreement, her father comes up every summer to live on the land and grow a garden. Marla was incredibly lucky to have a family with money that were willing to “share” with their daughter. However, after 35 years of subtle (and not so subtle) abuse, Marla finally realized her father’s true intentions in purchasing the house and his need for power over her. Their dream life had quickly turned toxic. With her father demanding more and more of them, believing he owned them, their time, their personal space and personal possessions and exhibiting his trademark verbal and emotional abuse, a change had to happen. He refused to communicate or try to repair the relationship despite efforts from Marla and Jessica. Marla finally stood her ground and said she wouldn’t stand for anymore abuse from him...especially while they were living under the same roof with her children experiencing the distressing situation Marla knew so well from her childhood.  So, after many arguments and unsuccessful mediation trials, crying and heartbreak, her father threatened to sell the property specifically to force them into submission because he knew that they would undoubtedly be homeless if that happened. Sadly, this was not the first(or second) time her father had threatened homelessness to maintain power over Marla. 

Jessica also had a challenging childhood, in which the people who should have been the most stable and reliable turned out to be the ones to cause her unstable childhood and occasional homelessness. Of course, there is a lot more to each story, but that would take years to unpack.

So, we made the hard decision to leave this toxic situation and free ourselves from his abuse, cutting all ties with him and his money. We have both grieved our losses of familial relationships, and we are moving forward with our own small family! 

We bought found a bus!!!! (Wait, what?! A bus?)Yes, a bus! It is a beautiful, functional charter bus that we are turning into a home. We are choosing to break the cycle of abuse and instability for our children and have purchased our forever home...our freedom! A home that no one will be able to take from us or use against us. Together, with the help of the amazing community of friends and chosen family we have found over the last 6 years, we are building this bus into our dream home without being in debt for the rest of our lives. Although Marla and Jessica both work full time jobs while raising and homeschooling two amazing, albeit challenging, children, the world is too expensive for them. The country’s “divide” is widening at an alarming rate, and we are moving deeper into poverty despite our hard work.

That’s where we ask for your help. We had saved some money over the years and used all of it to purchase the bus, but we are struggling to purchase the materials to finish it. We have no other resources. We are selling almost everything we own and working odd jobs, but time is of the essence. Marla's father is on his way to Oregon to sell the property and cause further turmoil. We need to make the bus at least habitable before we drive away for good. Please help us keep our family safe from abuse and free from debt that would follow us for life! Help us keep our freedom!! 

We believe strongly in supportive community! So we are asking for support from our extended community, and will most certainly be paying it forward!!

We thank you with all our hearts! 

With love, respect and gratitude,
The Worm-Anderson Family