Jean Homrighausen still remembers feeling 鈥渁we, shock, joy and humility鈥� when the Alliance for Children and Families honored her with its national 鈥淪pirit of the Alliance Award鈥� back in 2013. But the case manager/therapist at Cleveland鈥檚 Beech Brook Center felt equally humbled when a young client called her his 鈥淥utstanding Gangsta&苍产蝉辫;骋谤补苍诲尘辞迟丑别谤.鈥�&苍产蝉辫;
Both are signs of the deep respect and affection felt for the woman who dresses in bright colors that accessorize a brighter smile and is known for her gritty patience in working with the most challenging clients.
鈥淥ne of the gifts God鈥檚 given me,鈥� she said, 鈥渋s never to give up.鈥�
鈥淢s. H,鈥� as she is known, likely inherited that trait from her father, the Rev. Tom B. Homrighausen, a 1938 Wittenberg graduate and a Lutheran pastor so devoted to the ministry that, as a child, Jean thought he lived at church.
On a visit to a woman suffering from equally severe arthritis and mental illness in a state hospital near Massillon, Ohio, she watched as her Daddy lifted a 鈥渢iny, frail, unattractive鈥� body on to his lap, 鈥渓ooked into her daunting eyes, and saw beyond the trauma and ugliness to a person deserving of dignity, care, respect and love.鈥�
During a professional life treating young clients so disturbed and violent that many cannot control their bladders and bowels, much less their behavior, her father inspired her to 鈥渕ake an imprint鈥� on lives 鈥渞iddled with almost unspeakable tragedies, horrific abuse (and) sorrows.鈥�
Enduring their sufferings with them is 鈥渒ind of like when you go through a tunnel,鈥� she explained. 鈥淚f you look either way you could crash, so I keep looking ahead.鈥�
When accepting the 鈥淪pirit of the Alliance Award,鈥� Homrighausen showed a faith-based spirit of defiance as well.
鈥淚n our fast-paced, technologically entrenched, business-driven environment, where the treatment and care of those who are cast aside, wounded and forgotten is buried in paperwork, financial shrinkage and many other frustrating barriers,鈥� she said, 鈥淚 still stand Old School.鈥�
Her award, like the honorary doctorate Wittenberg awarded her father in 1963, has its roots in his belief, which Homrighausen&苍产蝉辫;蝉迟颈濒濒&苍产蝉辫;辫谤辞蹿别蝉蝉别蝉:&苍产蝉辫;鈥淕辞诲 doesn鈥檛 give up on us -- and Christ went all the way to the cross.鈥�
With unshakable faith, Ms. H believes she鈥檚 doing sacred work grounded in the same enduring love that sustains her and gives her clients hope, as it did the woman in her father鈥檚 arms.
鈥淭his relationship-building is the only way to transformation and healing,鈥� she said.
That鈥檚 Old School.
