Answered prayer

I am so excited today. I have received an answer to my prayers. The prayer of what I know that is needed in the county that I live in. The county I live in has no apparent knowledge or concern in the area of mental illness and death suicide. This is what I thought for the past 2 years. When I started the support group HEARTBEATsurvivorsaftersuicide I did believe that people would respond. I knew the deaths by suicide was a reality for our County. The attendance seemed to be very sporadic. I heard of many people who where survivors. I talked with them. I offered them literature and resources but they were not comfortable with the group setting. I still believe in the support group. I just have come to realize that the awareness, education and stigmas are so great in our community that people did not respond. I have struggled in how to make the issues known and to cause some education in these areas. I have observed by attending events in other counties of our state that the issues are being addressed in a very big way.
Well on Tuesday of this week I received a phone call from the one person who has the position and respect to effect change in these areas. He called me to invite me to a meeting on Feb. 1st to explore the development of a task force to address the area of mental illness in our county.I can not tell you what the response I had from that invitation. I was elated. I could hardly wait to tell everyone of this positive action. It is an answer to my prayers.
My hopes are that through this meeting the beginnings of awareness and education will emerge to effect our county in a positive way. I hope it offers an outreach to those who need the encouragement, support, and resources that will help many people get beyond the crisis in their lives.
Mental illness is the insidious object that invades peoples lives and spreads like a plague. We can make a difference. We must first accept the fact that there is a problem. One person can not do it by themselves but with others coming together you can effect change.
I continue to invite people to the monthly meeting of HEARTBEAT on the 1st Monday of every month at 7pm at Wilkesboro United Methodist Church. Please do not continue to suffer in isolation that is so prevalent to survivors. There is help, right here.
Please continue to pray for the end of mental illness and the endless deaths by suicide this effort.

Mom left behind