The inner city streets of Philadelphia are filled with hurting people who are desperate for help. A great majority of citizens from minority groups experience deep feelings of inferiority from years of systemic exclusion from the goods enjoyed by mainstream culture. This chronic stress contributes to and underlies the impact of other traumas. In urban northern Philadelphia, more than 40% of the residents subsist at or below poverty level. They live in broken families and must daily deal with violence, crime, unemployment, and a dangerous drug culture.

According to the statistics, 17% of the people here are unemployed … 21% have no health insurance … and 71% of males and 62% of females do not finish high school. This community holds the fourth highest HIV/AIDS rate in the U.S! But the statistics don’t adequately describe the pervading despair that saturates life in the inner city.

Try to picture a mother walking down the sidewalk, holding the hands of her two children. She comes upon a “customer” and negotiates with him. She enters a run-down building to barter sex for money − while her children wait outside. Consider a 10-year-old boy who is failing in school. His mother shows up at school one day with a large strap to beat him in front of his class, hoping that will spur him to study harder. Authorities intervene but his poor school performance is likely because there is no one at home after school to help him with homework and keep him out of trouble. But what can she do? She must work two jobs to keep them in an apartment and fed.

In many cases, those fighting for survival do not have the resources or tools to deal with parenting, addictions, abuse and other trauma. Social services offered in these communities are often not of a high professional quality due to poor funding, high caseloads, turnover, and burnout. The people also do not trust the services that are available. Many fail to follow up with appointments or find the services received to be unhelpful. Sadly, these are the individuals who need help the most, those struggling with mental health problems, addiction, abuse, violence, and much more. That is why God has raised up The Place of Refuge to give them help and hope -- one broken heart at a time.

The pastors and lay leaders in Philadelphia are hungry for training and resources to help the hurting. We are joining hands with believers in the inner city to help them meet the needs of those in their congregations and neighborhoods. Through the years, the leaders of The Place of Refuge have developed a unique kinship with pastoral leaders enabling them to enter into the suffering of many lives in their communities. We provide support groups, educational seminars, a lay counseling training program, and mentoring for over-worked and weary urban pastors. The target service area for The Place of Refuge is North Philadelphia, predominantly among the Hispanic population. As we equip city churches to provide lay counseling, practical solutions for marriages and parenting, and so much more, entire communities benefit! We believe that faith-based work carried out in partnership with local congregations can unite the professional and church communities for high-quality services that give help, healing and hope to the hurting.

Permission was obtained, and names and some details changed to protect confidentiality.

Maria was tormented by death. The despair surrounded her like a dark cloud. Death had taken away everyone she loved -- parents, aunts, uncles, best friend, co-workers -- even her pastor!

She cried many tears and the depression and loneliness sapped her very soul. Maria tried to fill the void with excessive shopping sprees. But instead of satisfaction, it only brought her financial disaster. The emptiness was too great, she thought. There was nothing left to live for --

Maria believed that death was the only relief for such unbearable pain. Suicidal thoughts so consumed her that by the time a local pastor referred Maria to The Place of Refuge, she had already tried to take her life twice by overdosing on medication.

We offered Maria professional and culturally sensitive counseling to address her clinical depression, grief and emotional needs. We partnered with her local church to assist them in giving appropriate help and nurture to Maria during this time of turmoil.

Week by week, month by month -- over the course of two years -- Maria’s focus gradually began to shift from her losses to her future. Today, her tears have all been wiped away. Maria says she no longer lives her life in the cloud of hopelessness and despair, but sees how God protected her in the midst of her dark depression and suicidal condition. She said, “God held on to me even when I did not want to be held on to -- in the midst of that darkness I did not want to see His Light."

All the effort and work was worth it and a life has been transformed. That is what The Place of Refuge is all about -- ministering to underserved urban people with professional counseling services and partnering with local churches to help them better support and care for those in their community.

"I would have a very difficult time identifying the one thing that you have done that has helped me the most. My childhood was plagued with harm and hurt, my adulthood is not. You have helped me acknowledge and accept the truth of both. While the abuse is gone, the effects linger. And I am learning to accept that as well. I believe you understand just how radical of a change these things are. But beyond all that was (and is) the sure certainty that you have always led me back to the Father.

The gift you give is that in the midst of your words and care, I find safety. And slowly begin to discover God who, at first is in the midst of your safety and then I realize, is the safety. In that discovery is a memory that I … am royal. The fog and confusion are not part of the abuse, but rather part of the protection. They are no longer needed in the light of safety. It is a gift to see that I am royal, a child of the Great King, a daughter of the Everlasting Father -- a Father who is good."