No. 1145 -- THE SECURITY OF A SAFE HARBOR!

No. 1145

Jim Davidson...NEWSPAPER COLUMN

THE SECURITY OF A SAFE HARBOR!

There is an issue in our nation that is affecting the lives of millions of our citizens, and unless you are personally involved, you may not think much about it. I am talking about domestic violence and abuse.
Several weeks ago, Janis and I were invited to a fundraiser for a ministry called “The Harbor Home” at one of our local restaurants. We just went in, had a nice meal, added a little extra money to the ticket and left. However, I picked up a little brochure that told about this ministry, and it was most revealing to me.
More about this ministry in a moment, but this experience motivated me to go to the Internet and do a little research about domestic violence and abuse. If you don’t know, I would invite you to do the same. As one who has never been involved in this type of behavior, I was completely ignorant on the subject.
Here is what I learned:
* 1 in 4 women and 1 in 7 men will experience severe physical violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime. (CDC, 2017)
* 1 in 10 women in the United States will be raped by an intimate partner in her lifetime. (CDC, 2010)
* Approximately 16.9 percent of women and 8 percent of men will experience sexual violence other than rape by an intimate partner at some point in their lifetime.
* An estimated 9.7 percent of women and 2.3 percent of men have been stalked by an intimate partner during their lifetime.
* Nearly half of all women and men in the United States will experience psychological aggression by an intimate partner in their lifetime. (CDC, 2017)
To be sure, these are very sad statistics, and I can see the need for programs like “The Harbor Home” all across the nation. There are many programs, including www.SafeHorizon.Org, which is a national program that seeks to meet this need. Since “The Harbor Home” is here in my community, this brings it closer to home and involves people that I know personally and care about. However, I care about all people, and this is the reason I am sharing this especially for you readers in another part of the country.
The thing I love about “The Harbor Home” ministry is that it is faith-based. I truly believe that Jesus is the answer to the problems these people are experiencing. He is the One who can put broken lives back together again. Here is the Mission Statement that is on the front page of the brochure: “This is a faith-based residential community that provides training and assistance to women whose lives are in crisis due to addiction, behavioral and lifestyle struggles.” I love the fact they call it a “home” and not a house. They offer programs that “provide support, structure and Biblical principles for living a successful life along with help in finding employment, housing and the reuniting of children.”
This program is all about these women launching a successful new life and, in turn, impacting other communities in the state. The residents are called “Harbor Girls” and they learn to love, to serve, to pray and give back to the community. They minister to churches, civic groups, ministries and organizations by bringing uplifting programs that challenge and bring out the best in others. The “core” beliefs of this ministry include: (1) Every person has redemptive value and worth. (2) The infallible Word of God and a relationship with Christ has the power to transform lives. (3) That Character and Integrity are Key. (4) That Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the One and Only Higher Power. You may contact them at theharborministry.com.
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(Editor’s Note: THE DEAL OF THE CENTURY – Begin your day on a positive note – 365 days for $12. This will benefit the Bookcase for Every Child project. Go to www.apositivemomentwithjim.com to subscribe.)