The world shut down Aloha house OPENED UP

Covid 2020 was a very scary weird for most, but not at Aloha House. When everything shut down, we opened up. My husband and I decided the residents in our sober living were battling a deadlier disease than Covid and we were not going to be afraid or instill fear in our residents. We had 7 houses at the time of people literally fighting for their life. Fentanyl, heroin, crack and alcohol and taking the lives of millions of people daily. The Covid statistics no where compared to these numbers.

All jobs started being cancelled , then AA meetings but we still had church for our people to be able to participate in a community outside of the house. My team and I started brainstorming “fun things” to do around town to get us out and moving and keep our brains for idling. We set up scavenger hunts around town. We started holding meetings in the back yard.

We set up BBQS dinners movie nights in Aloha house

The residents still had church events to attend. Then the dreaded moment had come the closed down the church. We never wanted to incorporate prayer church and God with in the house. We always required 12 steps but never merged God into the equation even though we were spirit filled Christians, we never wanted to scare people away. Until the church closed, Then, we made the leap that was so needed and so wonderful. We started doing prayer in the house a couple times a week and the crowd grew. It was such a scary time for so many and we decided to do battle at aloha house in the spirit . We had people giving themselves to the lord, being baptized in the Holy Spirit and what the enemy sent for bad God turned it to good in a mighty way.

Covid was such an amazing time of togetherness at Aloha House. Every night there would be 50-60 people in the back yard holding meetings and other fun activities. We had the police called on us by those in the neighborhood because we were gathering more than 12 people. We thanked the officers for coming but shared what we were doing and would continue to do in our private residence. We shared with them that what our residents were battling was much more deadly then Covid and they thanked us for our service.

The word got out and we were drawing in people from other sober homes that stated they would not be able to stay sober depending solely on “zoom.” Other Sober home owners calling us to confirm it was ok for their residents to be there. It was truly such a blessing, a time that we stood real firm in our faith. During Covid we had a 18 year old high school senior that they cancelled her senior prom. Aloha House residents banded together and threw her an amazing prom! The girls went to the thrift stores that were still open and picked out dresses ! Got flowers from the grocery store and threw her an amazing Prom.

Because there was no AA meetings, they were missing out on picking up chips to denote length of sobriety. The residents decided that they were going to make their own and they created beautiful handmade chips to give out during AA meetings that we held at the house.

During that time with so many people gathered together from all different walks of life in the greatest pandemic In our lifetime we had zero cases of Covid. we were hearing stories where other houses were testing people regularly kicking people out, the residents not being able to work to pay bills. We never experienced any of that. God made away during a crazy crazy time.

Most people talk about before Covid or after Covid in a negative way. Our lives and how we run Aloha House has been insanely impacted from Covid but in the most positive way possible. We are so grateful for that time the memories made, people saved, and the great fun we had during Covid 2020.