From despair to hope

Lynn has lived next door to the GUM office for years and we consider

her part of our family. Last week, Lynn arrived for an appointment in

tears. We had helped her get a taxi driver’s permit and last

time we talked, she was really enjoying her new job. Turns out that

her tears had nothing to do with her new job.

“I ruined my phone when I dropped it in my coffee,”

she said. “My husband’s pictures are on that phone. I’m devastated.”

Lynn’s husband died recently and his loss upended her life. Agueda,

GUM’s office coordinator had built a relationship with Lynn and knew

just what to do. She offered Lynn a comfortable chair and went to work

on the phone. It took some time, and there were several stressful

moments, yet eventually Agueda retrieved all of Lynn’s photos

from the broken phone. Lynn could see her husband again.

This is what GUM staff do...every single day. We are in relationships

with our neighbors so they trust us with the most precious people

and things in their life. Once trust is built, the possibilities are endless.