I had been looking for a bit online and everything in my price range was not in a safe location or was falling apart (or both). I found a good option and emailed my friend, Alejandra, to ask if it was a safe location. She called and it had been rented on the first day it posted the ad. So she asked her husband what they could do to help me and he gave her the number of a Realtor friend.
She called and told her of a good place and said it will go fast, can we visit today? It worked out and we arrived before the realtor and were able to look around outside of the apartment building. We loved the view and location. Alejandra told me not too look too excited if I liked it because then we won't be able to negotiate for a better price.
When we took a tour inside I was shocked. I was expecting awful furniture for the price and it to be run down. It was beautiful. The view is great and all of the furniture is in good condition, clean and modern. I even like the style and nearly all of the art decorations.
Alejandra started saying how much she loved it! And I asked her if I was stupid to take the first apartment that I saw.
When considering location I mentioned that I would be closer to the Children's home, but further from my church. At the name of the church the realtor asked me about it and it turns out his daughter is a student at the school there. His mother in law was a good friend of the Pastor's wife, and if I could get a reference from them they would skip all the background check stuff for me. Great news!
And when I went to sign the contract a few days later we discovered that the owner is a good friend of Alejandra - and they've known each other practically all their lives. Throughout the conversations we discovered that the owner is beginning a Foundation with the same goal and mission as we were. The difference being that the owner used to be a lawyer and is working with the public lawyers and mediators, and Alejandra and I are working with the caregivers in children's homes. But the premise is the same. She discovered that in order to make a difference in the overwhelming social problems, she needed to make a difference in those helping - and those helping are hurting from the same issues and are struggling to help because of their own stuff. And Alejandra and I are working on a training program to start next month for caregivers because many haven't healed from their own traumas and are bringing their own unhealthy habits into the kids lives instead of making change and healing.
We're talking about how we can partner together. I'm very excited to see what develops from this.
God is so awesome.
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