Family of Four Soon to be Homeless

Seven years ago we (Shawn and Laura Hall and our 2 daughters) left all of our family and friends in the midwest (Michigan and Kansas) to take a youth pastorate here in Centralia, WA.  We wanted this to be our final move as we had moved and lived and worked in 5 previous states and were ready to "settle down" and raise our girls.  They had already attended 4 schools in 4 different states.

On April 1, 2011, my husband came home and said that on April 15, he would go from full time to part time and then on June 15 his position as youth pastor would be dissolved.  So in 2 months time, my husband went from full time employment to no employment.  I say no employment because he DID NOT QUALIFY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT because he worked for a non-profit.  We were in shock.  No employment and no unemployment help. 

He immediately started looking for work, and all he has been able to find is part time work.  Currently he works 3 of them. My husband substitute teaches on Tuesdays and Thursdays, teaches P.E. at a Christian School on MWF and is a Driving Instructor.  This winter he has averaged less than 10 hours a month in that job. During the last 3 years he also went through Reserve Police Officer Training and graduated last March but has had no luck in getting a job as a police officer.  He also had to train to become a Driving Instructor so that he could do that job.  Shawn is willling to take any job and has applied to so many that we have lost track.  He has a MA in Leadership and Ministry.  He is not a slacker and his only desire is to provide for his family.  It is tearing him up inside that he is unable to do this.

I have been a substitute teacher for 10 years, the last 3 I have been looking for a full time position without any luck, but I am still looking. I have a BA in Elementary Education and a Washington State Teacher's Certificate.                            

Our desire is to have a place to live, a place for our girls to call home.  As of today, after trying for 3 years to save our home through a home loan modification, we have been denied, so we have to short sell our home.  We have no place to live once our home sells.  Our realtor told us we will probably have less than 6 months in our home once it goes on the market. We barely make enough to pay our bills.  We just did a budget and after the basic bills are paid, we have about $164 left a month for food.  Again, WE RECEIVE NO GOVERNMENT HELP to get food.

The heartbreak is having to look at our 2 teenage daughters and tell them that we have to move, that our home is being taken from us.  This is the home they have basically grown up in and lived in the longest.  How do you tell your kids that their home is being taken away and that we don't have anywhere to live once its gone?

Our girls our the joy of our lives!  Our oldest, Michaela, was born in California and is 6'1".  She loves sports!  She plays volleyball, basketball, and track(long, triple, and high jump). She helped her vball team to an 8th place State finish 2 years ago.  This year she broke and then set the kill record.  She has been to State 2 years in a row in track.  She placed 8th in triple jump 2 years ago and last year tied for 4th in the high jump.  Can't wait to see what she does this year!

She also loves to read.  She inherited that from me.  She also loves to play jokes on people! She inherited that from her dad! She loves to laugh and have fun!  She is such a beautiful person inside and out. 

Our youngest daughter, Mariah, who was born in Indiana,  is the musical one of the family.  Our schools here offer strings as a class, so she has been playing viola since 4th grade.  She really loves it.  She also plays volleyball and was the official book keeper for the freshmen boys basketball team.  That's amazing - I've looked at that book and I don't understand it!  She is such a beautiful person with a tender heart.

She is also the queen of one liners in our home.  She cracks us up!  She doesn't even realize how funny she can be.  She is also a really good drawer.  I look at things she has drawn and am amazed! 

As a mom, this is why I am asking for your help.  What we need is enough money to be able find a place to rent while we continue to look for full time employment.  We can't move in with family - they live thousands of miles away in the midwest.  Its just the four of us.  I just can't imagine looking into our daughter's faces when our house sells in a very few short months and tell them we have no where to live.  Four part time jobs are not going to pay for rent.  Will you please consider helping us raise enough so that we can tell our girls - we have a place to live!

Thank you so much!