Taneesha’s story

At 22 years of age, Taneesha gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Rebecca. Soon after, welfare checks began to arrive. Taneesha called to ask why she was receiving money since she was healthy and willing to work. She was told that she qualified for assistance since she was a single Mom. Respectfully, Taneesha requested that the checks stop coming and she began to work. Before Katrina, Taneesha was working as a LVN in a nursing home in New Orleans. She worked 2 or three jobs to make ends meet which brought much satisfaction in knowing she could provide for her daughter.

As Katrina was coming and news went out to evacuate, Taneesha and her daughter Rebecca not only drove in their car to Katy, Texas, they also helped another family evacuate as well. They stayed with this family for a while, but since there were so many people living under one roof she knew she needed to leave. She did not know where or how she would go but knew it was best for her daughter.

God’s timing is always perfect. I was working at the Kingsland Shelter and found myself filling in at the receptionist desk for the church office. I received a call from a refugee help center in Brenham, requesting direction for a young mother who needed assistance in Katy, Texas. We had just started Compassion Katy and I gave this woman my number to have the young mother call me.

Later that evening Taneesha called and we made plans to visit the next day. My children spent a few days at the pool with her daughter and Taneesha and I continued to get to know each other. After much deliberation she decided to move into a Fema subsidized hotel and shortly after decided to move to North Carolina with family. Yet again, she did not know how to get there but knew it was best for Rebecca.

Because of the generosity of many people, Compassion Katy was able to supply Taneesha with gas, a temporary cell phone and some money for food on their trip. Taneesha, being as thoughtful as she is knew she would be helped in North Carolina by family, so she left kitchen items that Red Cross had given her with me to give to another family that might need them.

Taneesha kept in touch on her trip. She and her daughter went by their mobile home in New Orleans and rescued her daughter’s 3 pet turtles, Squirttle, Brownie, and one other. They were able get some of their things, but their home was not going to be habitable so they continued on their journey. They are now in North Carolina and should being moving into a Fema subsidized rent home.

Taneesha has enrolled her daughter in school and they are settling into life once again. I know this family will always remember the way God worked through people in a small town named Katy.

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