A child's bicycle is parked outside the big brick home near a busy interstate. Two others rest on their sides in the fenced yard on a cool, rainy November day just before Thanksgiving.
Small, painted birdhouses dangle from tree limbs, offering shelter to the tiniest of birds just as the two-story house provides food, shelter and safety to dozens of women and children.
For years Dorcas House, a division of the Union Rescue Mission in Little Rock, has been a haven for women trying to escape domestic violence and for others trying to escape drug and alcohol addictions.
Each woman has a story. This may be a woman's first shelter. It may be her fourth. But each of four women who spoke this week about their past struggles also spoke of new-found hope and gratitude as they prepared to observe Thanksgiving at home with relatives or with other women at Dorcas House.
Dorcas House offers a safe, faith-based environment for women and children. Its name comes from Acts 9 of the New Testament, which speaks of a disciple named Tabitha, or Dorcas in Greek. This woman "was full of good works and charitable deeds," the New King James version says. The Bible says Dorcas became sick and died but came back to life after the apostle Peter prayed for her.
As of Wednesday, 47 women and 12 children were living at Dorcas House, all hoping for brighter futures.
"This is an extremely full time of the year for us," said Kellye Albey, the home's director of women's ministries-recovery.
Some of the residents are spending the holiday with their families. Others are sharing a special meal they have prepared for themselves with the help of donated food from various groups and churches. They'll feast on turkey and dressing, ham, creamed potatoes, sweet potatoes and more, including an array of desserts.
Lindsey Quick, 24, of North Little Rock was planning to spend the day with her sister and her own children, ages 2, 3 and 4. The 2-year-old lives at Dorcas House with her. The other two children are with their father's family.
Quick moved into Dorcas House in May after an abusive relationship with a man other than her children's fathers.
She had moved from one friend's house to another, a pattern that started early in her life. Her father, who is now dead, was frequently in prison or jail, and her mother died when Quick was a baby.
"Someone beat her to death and put her on the [railroad] tracks," Quick said.
Quick's grandmother cared for her until she developed Alzheimer's disease. Quick was 10 at the time, and soon was moving from one foster home to another.
Dorcas House has been a blessing for her. She noted that it offers a variety of classes, including one on parenting, as well as one on financial guidance.
Quick is thankful this Thanksgiving. Her blessings include Dorcas House's Bible services that have helped her feel "closer to God." Another big one is "having my family, which is my children, with me" this Thanksgiving.
"I didn't have that growing up," she said.
Quick also is thankful for the physical blessings she and her children now have. There were times when "We didn't have any clothes. They [the children] didn't have any toys," she said.
At 27, Stephanie Bryan and three of her four children moved into Dorcas House about eight months ago.
"This is my fourth shelter," Bryan said. "My abuser has followed me" over time. "God led me here."
Bryan's oldest child, 6, lives with her first husband. She has the 3-year-old twins and the 1-year-old.
Bryan said her abuser knows where she is. But she said, "I'm in a place where there's enough people and enough security. So far, he hasn't bothered me [here]."
Sitting beside Bryan was Rebecca, 38, of Maumelle. She did not want her surname published. Her two teenage sons live with their father. Her 20-year-old son is on his own, and her 4-year-old daughter lives with Rebecca's parents who successfully fought Rebecca for guardianship. Still, they regularly take the little girl to visit her mother.
Rebecca said she was in an abusive relationship over the summer and arrived at Dorcas House in September. She acknowledged that she's had some problems with alcohol and drugs but said she is clean now.
Rebecca was planning to spend Thanksgiving with her parents and daughter in Maumelle. She was looking forward to the visit but also a bit nervous. "I'm going to be spending as much time as possible" with my daughter, she said.
Rebecca said God told her that "'you need to talk to your mom.'"
"I've been trying to make amends," she said
Glenda Corn, 55, of Austin sat down beside Rebecca and began telling her story. Her husband died in 2013, and her life went awry. She was beaten up by a man "real bad" and had some drug problems.
Dorcas House has "a very spiritual feeling," she said, and there is also plenty to eat.
The past year "was the worst year of my life," she said. I'm going to try to make [the coming one] ... the best year of my life."
Without Dorcas House, Corn said, "I don't know where I'd be."
A Section on 11/24/2016