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Where hope rises out of despair

By ERNEST HOOPER
Published December 22, 2006

After a long, difficult week, Pam asked her ex-husband to take her out on the town.

Ex was an operative term. They had divorced, but she kept him in her life. When Pam, 37, suggested drowning her troubles in alcohol that fateful night four years ago, he suggested something else:

Crystal methamphetamine.

"That was my downfall," Pam said during a special Hillsborough House of Hope celebration Wednesday night. "I'll never forget it. It was a roller coaster ride that I would love to forget."

Suddenly, Pam was no longer the innocent Plant City native who grew up with loving parents in a stable home. She lost her home, her new car, her job with the county and the support of friends and family. She even lost custody of her 10-year-old daughter.

"I got Baker Acted three times," Pam said. "I went into two detox centers, four treatment centers, two mental institutions and spent a night in jail. Luckily, it was just one."

After exiting yet another drug treatment program, Pam flirted with the idea of stepping out into the world on her own, but fear stopped those plans. Deep down, she needed more guidance, more support.

She needed an angel.

She earned a place at the Hillsborough House of Hope, a faith-based residential facility dedicated to helping women offenders at the Hillsborough County jail.

Pam describes it as a place surrounded by angels.

"I just felt a peace there that I had never felt before," she said.

Founded in 2003 by Margaret Palmer, who has ministered more than 20 years to women in jail, the House of Hope seeks to end the revolving-door syndrome. Along with love and care, it offers structure and discipline.

And there is program director Linda Walker, who has seen her own life spiral out of control. She went from supervisor of graduate applications at the University of South Florida to a desperate crack addict who was arrested eight times.

"Every time I asked God to help me, I would get arrested," Walker said.

Palmer connected with Walker and helped her get back on the right path. When she needed a program manager, she turned to Walker, now a guiding light for others.

Now, when others tell Walker about their troubles, she says, "Stop for a minute, slow down. I've been there."

Pam is one who listened and learned. Today, she is a House of Hope graduate making sandwiches, salads and appetizers at a Plant City pizzeria. She has a bank account, her own car and a garage apartment. Friends have learned to trust her again.

On Tuesday, she had her first visitation with her daughter with hopes to regain custody.

After hearing seven testimonials at Wednesday's alumni celebration, it dawned on me the House of Hope could have other names. The House of Peace, the House of Self-Esteem, the House of Revitalization and the House of Strength.

You could use love, humility, confidence, faith, structure, accomplishment, coping, will, respect and dignity instead of hope.

Hope is one of the most powerful words in the English language, but I'm not sure even those four special letters say enough about this program.

It gives hope, and so much more.

That's all I'm saying.

[Last modified December 22, 2006, 06:01:01]