Mom, Mr. Mom, and the Little Ones

She was doing well in her career and enjoying her role as primary breadwinner for the family. Far from being jealous, he was proud of her accomplishments and glad to do his part as “Mr. Mom,” taking care of things at home and keeping a close watch over their delightful little children.

Neither of them expected that she would be diagnosed with cancer at such a young age. The serious nature of her illness requires that she receive medical treatments in the valley rather than Estes Park.

“With me being sick,” she wrote in an October 28, 2015, email to our case manager, “my husband is going to have to miss more work than expected.” On top of medical costs, and the travel time Mr. Mom sets aside to get his wife to chemotherapy and radiation, his own hours of employment have been reduced during the winter season.

“I’m writing,” she says, “in hopes that our family can still get help with a Thanksgiving meal and hopefully Christmas help for our little ones.”

Yes, her family will get a Thanksgiving meal. And thanks to our partnership with Bright Christmas, the little ones will not be overlooked at Christmastime. Crossroads has also seen to it that everyone in the family will have a warm winter coat, and plenty of tasty, nutritious food.

In addition to walking with them through the uncertainty, pain and loss, we’ve walked them through the process of applying for assistance from neighboring agencies, like the Low Income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP). With help from the Estes Park Extension of the Salvation Army, we helped the family make a difficult move to more affordable housing, and they gratefully received a small voucher to get essential household items from the Community Thrift Store.

“Thank you so very much for all the help you’ve provided us,” she says. “I can’t express my gratitude towards your understanding of my health battles. It really is such a blessing to be able to find comfort in knowing that we have Crossroads there to help us. We are so unbelievably thankful for everything.”

Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

–Galatians 6:2 (NRSV)