Ms. Rose Sears, iACT Hands on Housing Client

From the moment you meet Ms. Sears, you can tell there is something special about the way she shows up in the world. She came to iACT in need of major home repairs to allow her and her son to stay housed. And yet despite the acuity of her needs and her own personal stress, one of the first statements she tearfully made over the phone was “I don’t want to take anything away from anyone else, though.” As conversations with Rose continued, her compassion, empathy, and thoughtfulness only became more apparent. She is a daughter (one of 16 siblings), a mother of three, a grandmother of four, and a friend to innumerable others. She is a survivor of many challenges including a Stage III cancer diagnosis in 2010 and a near deadly car accident just a couple years later. And yet, her spirit remains light. When asked how she would describe herself, after a long pause she gently asks, “Am I allowed to talk about God?” For Rose, her faith is paramount and she is quick to give God credit for bringing her through trials and tribulations. In fact she says that it is because of God she is who she is now and where she is. Her church community is one of her most vital support systems and her Christian faith is certainly put into action in the way that she is constantly serving others even when she herself is also suffering. It is delightful to hear her talk of how much connection and joy she found even in her darkest days of battling cancer. Take for example the time she dressed up as a hot dog on Halloween to cheer up those stuck in the hospital cancer ward. When her doctor heard a patient had done that, he knew right away it was Ms. Sears- of course it was. Joy, care, and a bit of laughter is the essence of who she is and it is an incredible honor to have been connected with her through our iACT Hands on Housing program.