Jenny’s Call: How A Radio Show Helped A Homeless Woman

As Christians, we are part of the Body of Christ, and as members of His body we are called to share in each other’s suffering and bear each other’s burden. As St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, we should “have mutual concern for one another. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” (1 Corinthians 12:25-26)

Immaculate Heart Radio not only builds up the Body of Christ by sharing the truth and beauty of the Gospel, it also provides a connection and a way for us to bear each other’s burdens and ease each other’s suffering, as we are called to do.

We recently saw a beautiful example of this when a woman named Jenny from Flagstaff, AZ called in to The Joe Sikorra Show. Jenny called to share that she was having difficulty finding meaning and purpose in life, as she was struggling both emotionally and materially. She said:

It’s a real struggle, it’s like this terrible fear of stepping out of line, like I’m going to be punished for it. And that’s scary. … Sometimes I feel like a lost puppy, not knowing what to do. I’m waiting for rehabilitative services to help me get training for a job. I have worked, but I’ve just never had real support. I broke down a long time ago, and just couldn’t make it on my own anymore. I was too fearful to reach out.

I’m homeless, and I’m in a motel right now, paid up until Friday. But between Friday and Monday, when the money comes around again, I don’t know where I’m gonna be.

Flagstaff is apparently one of those places where people are piled up to get help. I’m on the waiting list and I don’t know how long it’s gonna take to come around. … In 50-something years I’ve learned a lot, it’s not all for nothing, but there’s times I want to give up.

Joe responded with support for Jenny:

“I don’t know if this would sound like anything to you or not, but I can offer you my friendship, I can offer you my prayers, and I can tell you that you’re not alone right now. We will pray for you, and if we can get people to call in and say, ‘Here’s some resources for Jenny’ we can reach back out to you. I would love to do that as well.

It sounds like you’ve been struggling for a long time, and when I get to the Pearly Gates I want the Good Lord to say ‘Joe, what did you do when Jenny called and reached out for support?’ I want to say that I did something. Now I’m going to pray for you, but I’d like to connect you with other resources as well. I don’t want you to think you’re alone.”

And he encouraged listeners to call in to give Jenny the support she needed.

“I know right now you don’t have a lot. … But we have a wonderful, devout, loving audience. … If you’ve got some support that you can offer Jenny, that might be why you’re listening tonight. That might be, in part, your purpose in tuning in to Immaculate Heart Radio tonight – to help out Jenny.

I’ll tell you what, I think that is how you find joy, and meaning, and purpose – by loving others the way that God loves you.

By the end of the show, listeners from Flagstaff, listening on our affiliate station KPIH 98.9 FM came forward and provided Jenny the help she needed. We are truly grateful to everyone who offered help to a fellow listener in her time of need.

If you are in a similar situation, or would like to help people in need like Jenny, contact your local Catholic Charities.

Listen to Jenny’s call below:

 

Stephanie Foley serves as a Digital Media Producer at Relevant Radio®. She is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she studied journalism, and she has worked in Catholic radio for 12 years. Stephanie is a wife, a mother of three boys, and in her free time she enjoys reading, running, and really good coffee. You can find more of Stephanie’s writing at relevantradio.com and on the free Relevant Radio mobile app.