Harris steps away from Gilead House
Founder will remain involved in charity; successor takes over Jan. 1
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Reba Harris was called to start the Gilead House in 1995. A recovering addict herself who was working on getting an education, she received a vision from God, laying out His plan for a service to aid women trapped in addiction.
She opened Gilead House in 2000, meeting with women individually. The current facility, which houses women and provides a full array of services – the dream realized – began operations in 2014.
“The last so many years, we've been a house to women,” said Harris. “We're just farmers. We sow seed. God has given them a chance to change. Some of them did wonderfully. Some weren't ready, and some we've lost along the way.
“But that's how seed is. Some blossom. Some grow, and the birds eat them. Some blows away. Drug addiction out there, and it’s getting worse. There's a chance to get better. We can get better, thank God, but it’s a choice.”
After 23 years, Harris is being called to a new role. She is retiring as executive director of Gilead House. Her successor, Cynthia Hemerson, will begin her service on Jan. 1, though she won’t be left to lead the Gilead House without some help. Harris intends to stay on board a few months to help train her successor, and she will serve on the Gilead House board as director emeritus.
“She has a heart for the people,” said Harris. “That's what I was looking for. And she'll bring a lot of expertise.”
As for Harris after Gilead House, there will be travel. Her granddaughter in Romania is working on a second child. There are old friends to visit who don’t get out much anymore. And she has a second book she wants to write.
“God asked me to write when my husband was dying,” said Harris. “He asked me to write a second book called ‘Saved, But Not Emotionally Healed.’ He said, ‘Your husband was saved. But because he didn't get his emotions healed, I wasn't able to give him the gift I wanted to give him. The gift was called life.’
“So, I'm working on that. God wants to get that book out because we need healing in our lives. God doesn't hold us responsible for how we turn out to be, but He does hold us responsible to get our healing. That's our job.”
Gilead House will remain a central piece of Harris’ life. She intends to lead a new grandparent and caregivers program to support those who deal with an addicted family member by stepping in to raise the children of the addict.
“These grandparents are struggling,” said Harris. “They may not have a lot more resources. And I feel sorry for the children who are not getting what they need to be the people that they need to be as an adult. The finances, feeding the children … it costs to take care of children.”
Harris hopes to partner with agencies like Food Finders to assist grandparent caretakers with raising a new generation of children. But more importantly, she wants to tend to the grandparents’ emotional needs.
“First of all, we need to hear their frustrations,” said Harris. “Some people need to be heard. They’re dealing with their children with drug addiction; parents who are dying or lost. No one talks about the carnage left behind from that addiction.
“What do we do about the people that are left behind? Grandma’s trying to raise three grandchildren, you know, on her little Social Security check, and it's just not happening. They’ve been called back into active duty to be a parent, and then the children act out because they're hurt. They're angry. I'm hoping that we can really help.”
Harris envisions the group meeting monthly, and she plans on providing tutoring services to the children being raised by their grandparents.
“We've got to do something,” said Harris. “If we don't interrupt this cycle, these children will grow up to be just like their parents. And that's not fair to them. They will suffer consequences. I struggle with children suffering consequences for poor parenting.”
She also hopes to be involved with the community conversation coalescing around childcare and early childhood development in Howard and Tipton counties. She recently attended a focus group on the subject with the United Way and wants to help identify the barriers to childcare and develop solutions.
“The issue is very close to me,” Harris said.
Another dream Harris has for the Gilead House involves food. The facility is due to receive a kitchen upgrade, giving the residents greater opportunity to learn to cook or to cook for themselves and their children. But Harris wants to go a step further.
“I wish we could find the funding to hire a chef,” said Harris. “A lot of women here don't know how to cook. I think they could eat healthier with someone teaching them who knows how to do things better.”
With all of the plans and programs Harris has in mind, her retirement from the Gilead House doesn’t sound like much of a retirement.
“God has other things for us,” said Harris. “I know some people say, ‘Go home and rest.’ I say no, God told me I could rest when I get there. I want to serve until the day I die.”