When Mama gets home from work, she immediately takes off her clothes and climbs into the shower. Despite temporarily living in a separate part of the house, Mama does not want Mr. Foots to catch the Coronavirus.

Married for 31 years, they still affectionately call each other “Mr. Foots” and “Mrs. Foots.”

In the midst of the Coronavirus, life’s trials and tribulations go on. Earlier this week, Mr. Foots’s mother passed away. Mama needed some time off, but she missed “her boys”… and knew they were missing her. She was back on the floor in two days.

Far too many of our young men have grown up in poverty and dysfunction, surrounded by abuse, violence, and homelessness. In their formative years, ages 0–5, they survived Katrina. Sadly, in the midst of a lifetime of trauma, most have lacked the true unconditional love of a mother. Whether they were too young, addicted to drugs, suffering from mental illness, in jail… their mothers were simply not there for them.

“Mama is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

“Mama is there when I need to open up.”

“Mama will always tell you the truth… she’s REAL.”

“Mama’s got a BIG loving heart… I’m so grateful for her.”

“Mama is an inspiring angel sent from God.”

Mama Foots is an angel – a woman of deep faith. Every morning, she leads a group of the young men in prayer: giving thanks for blessings (like a new job), asking for strength and fortitude, and now… seeking protection from the Coronavirus.

Mama tells her boys to pray when they get caught up in fear. She helps them to heal and to begin new, hope-filled lives.

We are grateful for a host of angels. Our team is doing a remarkable job under unbelievable pressure. So far, we’ve only had two positive cases. Thankfully, both young women are doing well.

“I give thanks to my God every time I think of you.”
Philippians 1:3

We are hunkered down and doing our best to prevent the Coronavirus from invading our campus in force. All staff and residents have their temperature taken every morning. Based on the latest recommendations, we are now encouraging everyone to wear masks. We have multiple isolation and quarantine rooms set up and ready to go.

The prospect of a major outbreak is frightening for us all. How are we going to pay the mortgage, the light bill, and still have enough to put food on the table? Will we catch the virus? Will we be employed? Will our family members catch the virus? What does the future look like? When will we be able to go back to life as we knew it? Will we ever return to the lives we took for granted?

And so we calm ourselves down. We take a deep breath, and we ask: what is really important? What are we truly thankful for?

I am thankful for our Covenant Community: Mama Foots, our amazing staff, our wonderful volunteers, our generous benefactors, and most importantly, our good, and beautiful, and brave young people. I am also most thankful for my large Irish and Scotch Irish family, near and far, who are so supportive of our ministry – and our (191) youth and children.

Lastly, I am thankful for my children and my wife, Ginny, whom I love and adore. She has been at my side in every ministry that God has called us to – most especially Covenant House. She has been our #1 prayer warrior. There simply is no greater sign of God’s love for me than Ginny.

I hope we can each offer prayers of thanksgiving for those in our own lives who love us, support us, and lift us up in this time of crisis.

“I give thanks to my God every time I think of you.”
Philippians 1:3

– Jim