Saying Goodbye to Joan – A Judah’s Home Angel

I hate saying goodbye but it’s time for another painful one.

I met Joan in the fall of 2014; shortly after I set up a home for homeless young people. Setting up a home for young people has been my dream for many years because I feel very passionately about giving every child a happy childhood. I believe strongly that every child deserves a safe, warm, loving home.

So when I set up Judah’s home in 2014, I was looking for other passionate, dedicated people like me.

My mentor recommended Joan as my first staff at Judah’s Home. I interviewed her and was happy to find that we had similar interests and passion for young people.

Since I hired Joan, she has run Judah’s home with dedication, commitment and joy. She is always the first to arrive in the mornings and the last to leave at night. Joan has been with me through thick and thin and has grown to be more than just my employee. She has become a partner, a vision carrier, a friend.

Joan has adopted every child in the home as her own. She has taken time to learn the needs, fears and worries of every one of them and has consistently supported them to thrive and rise above their circumstances. She never forgets their birthdays and makes sure that every child gets a birthday present.  Three years ago, we started the tradition of giving every child a small party on their birthdays; Joan would stay up all night blowing up balloons and decorating the living room and the celebrant’s bedroom.

Knowing how hard festive seasons are for young people who don’t have their own family, Joan works very hard to give Judah’s home children a beautiful magical Christmas.

Joan has a major in business administration but offers guidance and counselling support to the older teens like a pro. When Joan said she had found love in a French Man and would be moving to France with him; I broke down in tears. While I was happy for her, I was also devastated.

I have not yet gotten over these mixed feelings even as her last days with us draw close. Joan has played a huge part in the successful administration of Judah’s home for the past 7years, and I think every day about how much we owe to Joan; how harder it would have been in those early days without her. We will all miss her.

Since we told the children that Joan was leaving, there has been a lot of tears.

When I spoke to the children, they talked about writing goodbye letters, creating cards and drawing pictures for Joan to say how much she meant to them. They want Joan to carry them in her heart like they were doing in theirs.

All of these got me thinking and I landed on the idea of a virtual group card. A card that they could write messages and letters about how Joan has impacted them positively. A card where they could add pictures, draw pictures and upload them, add videos and anything else they want Joan to always remember.

I’m so glad Firacard exists for this purpose. We have all been filling a Firacard with our goodbye messages for Joan. There are 35 children at Judah’s home and 7 carers, and the card has more than enough space for all of us and all the things we have to say.

We are planning to send the card to her and play it as a video at her send forth party on Saturday.

Thank you, Joan, for being an amazing person to all of us at Judah’s Home.

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