The image on my page, was taken as the sun set over the ocean, on the  day I fled from violence, into homelessness. I never gave anyone permission to hurt me. I never chose to become homeless. It was my circumstances, my need to stay alive, that forced me onto the streets.

I was the unseen, the unheard- many walked by me -  without a smile. I have been called many vulgar hurtful words, even judged and told, that I  don't deserve to live. 

 And as I sat on the bench, that would be my bed - alone, terrified, hurting,  hungry and cold, - I watched as the sun set, in  a symphony of colours, across the ocean.   As the day came to end, and the cold night reached into my bones, I thought of the promise of a new day, and what it may bring.  As  I silently  prayed for a place to feel safe, a place to call home, hope stirred from within as I felt the warmth of an inner light, keeping me warm,  on this cold, lonely night. 

Over time, through the kindness of  strangers, who believed in me, I now know what it means to feel safe, to have a family when I never knew a family, a community of friends, a place where I can share life to build community, contributing, belonging,  where I can dream, pray, and hope, a place where I feel loved, -  a place to call home. 

Every person has a name, every person has a story. 

The kindness that was shown to me, gave me an opportunity to live.

And now I advocate for others, who do not know the safety of a home, unseen, unheard, who are not "those people", but people like you and me, with a name and a story. Our circumstances, should never  dictate our humanness:  to feel connected, to feel loved, to be  treated with dignity and equality, to feel safe, to contribute, to belong, to  have hope - a right to a place to call home. .

So I am now participating in the  "Sleep On It" challenge

In  asking people to rough it for a night, the "Sleep On It" Challenge is seeking to give individuals a brief glimpse into the reality of the lives of 116,000 people in Australia who are homeless on any given night.We know that most of us can't truly understand what it's like to be homeless, but our "Sleep On It" event is an opportunity for people within our community to gain an insight into the lives of people who are experiencing homelessness, which can equip them for further action and advocacy. Homelessness rates in Australia are rising, which means there's never been a more critical time to shed light on the effects of the housing affordability crisis. The recent challenges of bushfires and the pandemic have reinforced that everyone needs access to safe, stable accommodation so people can work, access education, connect with their community, look after their wellbeing and live with dignity.

 Donate here to support me through this challenge and let's end homelessness together!