Thanksgiving at Aaron House

When Aaron House was only a vision people were asked to support the project on faith. Dozens of dozens of people gave thousands of dollars. Explaining the concept was a challenge. Not everyone understands alcohol and other drug addictions. How the Aaron House project would work was an idea with few tangibles. The people who knew how to write a program of support were doing their work. The pieces would come together, but in the fall of '05 through the end of summer of '07 the puzzle was scattered.

Aaron was home when I bought a book explaining the power of a story. Books find you, and this book selected me---the name I don't remember, but the message was heard. Easier for me to tell a story to show a vision than to explain the details. Standing before a crowd, telling the story, I drift on the emotions of people as we cry, and laugh, and cry again. I'm grateful for the experience.

A young person with an addiction in the family generates waves of energy to build tumultuous waves. No one drifts in that sea of chaos. Aaron House, I told listeners, would one day host Moms, Dads, brothers, and sisters with sons and brothers in peace for holiday dinners. People who did not know if their loved one would be living or dead, lost or wandering lost, would find their way to a family dinner in the tranquility of Aaron House. These people, I explained, no nothing of Aaron himself, but they know their own Aaron. They know there must be an answer. They would pray to God for an answer. They would pray for peace and relief for themselves and their son, brother,...

God does answer prayers. The work is done through other people. Some were angels, others mortal. Aaron House opened. It exists. Last Saturday night I was ate and laughed, and cried, and laughed again with the guys, their parents, their friends at Aaron House. Aaron was not seen in the midst of the fun. He was felt. The story is true. The feelings are real. The healing is tangible.

Thank you for your faith and charity. It is mercy God desires, not sacrifice. Your mercy is a blessing.

Peace