A Passion for Living

The first thing you notice about Air Force Veteran Barbara Bennewitz is her passion and tenacity. She is passionate about people and justice and the earth and her faith. That passion plays itself out in a determination that doesn’t let anything stop her. Born in Ohio, both her parents served in the military, so the family moved around a lot.   She served her country in the late 1970s as a turbo-prop mechanic.

After leaving the military, she tried to continue working as a mechanic but continuously hit a glass ceiling due to her gender. Eventually, she left the field to work assembly jobs, damaging her hands and becoming a long-haul trucker. She retired at 62 years old. She was living in Ohio again, but the tensions in her home state were too much, and she began looking in different areas. “And Arkansas won. I had been working with the VA on my military benefits, and Little Rock had an excellent VA program. I love the outdoors, so I bought a property sight-unseen with the intent of living there.”

She bought supplies and provisions for six months and had no qualms about living in a tent for a year or so to get her property ready. But when she got there, the property was unlivable. The promised access was non-existent, her car got stuck trying to get in, and she lived in her tent for a month or so, determining what to do. She eventually walked into the nearest town, where a good Samaritan helped her get her things out, and she began checking into shelters. Everything close was full, so she contacted the VA. They connected her with the Veterans Day Treatment Center, which led to a referral to St. Francis House.

“I’m very grateful to the Day Treatment Center and St. Francis House for the helping hand. I have a place to stay, a hot shower, meals, and a car filled with stuff. I’ve found a place I want to live, and I’m waiting on the documentation I need for my application to get final approval. I’ll be starting over as far as furniture, cookware, and all that, but a stable living arrangement will be worth it.”

Ms. Bennewitz has since graduated from St. Francis House, and a local church supplied all her furniture and household needs. She was in a car wreck a week after leaving St. Francis House but is recovering nicely as she tries to find a car. And needless to say, her passion for God keeps her spirits up. “I’m doing well, and I know the Holy Spirit will help me get what I need!”