From Pain to Purpose: How Faith, Community, and Determination Transformed Kim
My name is Kim Harding and this is my story:
September 10, 2023 is when this new chapter in my life began. I had been a retail store manager for 19 years. One day, when I stood up at my desk while at work I felt a sharp pain in my hip. By the next day, I could barely walk. I went to the emergency room, where x-rays were done. The doctors concluded it was a sciatic nerve issue combined with arthritis.
As days went on, the pain continued to worsen. Five days later, I had a CAT scan, and the diagnosis remained the same: sciatic nerve and arthritis. I did my best to manage the pain, but by September 24, when I stood up from my chair, my hip snapped—it broke.
On September 25, I underwent surgery, during which doctors inserted a “nail” to repair the broken hip. For seven long months, I endured a painful series of physical therapy sessions and made several trips back and forth to the doctor. Unfortunately, on April 1, 2024, the orthopedic specialist discovered that the surgery had failed—the nail had worked its way out on its own.
As a result, I was scheduled for an emergency procedure the next morning at 6:00 a.m. to undergo a complete hip replacement. I resumed physical therapy but continued to experience pain.
During this time, another challenge arose. I was on my way home and a car pulled out in front of me, causing an accident that totaled my vehicle. Thankfully, I still had a second car, a 2014 Chevy Cruze, which I was planning to sell to help cover my mounting bills. Now, that car became my only mode of transportation.
Two weeks later, I started having mechanical problems with the Chevy Cruze. Desperate for help, I reached out to Pastor Jaime Cervantes at Benton Heights First Church of God, where I attend. Pastor Jaime referred me to the New Heights Auto Ministry program to see if they could assist with the car repairs. At that point, I was left without any transportation to get to doctor’s appointments, search for work, or even buy groceries and fill prescriptions.
I filled out an application for assistance through New Heights and was approved, but there were no funds in the account to help me at the time. Executive Director Chris Britton from New Heights Ministry then referred me to Wes Lentz at Michigan Works to help address the transportation barriers preventing me from seeking employment with my disabilities.
At this point in my life, my self-esteem and confidence were at an all-time low. I couldn’t physically perform the type of work I had done for years, and I knew a career change was inevitable—at nearly 60 years old. I also had very little computer knowledge.
After completing my intake process with Wes, he suggested I contact the Region 4 Area Agency on Aging. He believed it could be a great opportunity for me. That same day, I called and scheduled an appointment with Amanda Pohyba for the following week.
During my intake process with Amanda, I learned about a fantastic program for adults aged 55 and over called SCSEP (Senior Community Service Employment Program). Amanda explained that the program would provide me with a tablet and access to resources for training classes to help me learn computer skills. She helped me set up online learning through Alison Learning and scheduled an interview for me with the Information & Assistance (I&A) Department at the Area Agency on Aging.
After being accepted into the SCSEP program, I reported back to Wes at Michigan Works, who provided me with a Dell laptop to continue building my computer skills. Less than a week later, I learned I was accepted for a position with the I&A Department at the Area Agency on Aging.
I began this new chapter by doing small tasks for Amanda, Mistelle, and others in the office, such as making copies and assembling packets for their programs. Today, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given. Thanks to the training provided by Faith Dowd and our amazing team, I now have the knowledge to complete MI Choice Waiver screenings for clients.
Through the SCSEP program, I was able to seek employment. This allowed Wes at Michigan Works to address my transportation barriers. I am grateful to have regained my independence with reliable transportation.
There are no words to fully express my gratitude to everyone who has helped me along this journey. What started as a rough road has turned into a beautiful scenic route. A sincere thank you to:
Pastor Jaime Cervantes at Benton Heights First Church of God
Chris Britton and John at New Heights Auto Ministry
Wes Lentz at Michigan Works
Amanda Pohyba, Mistelle Lanco, Faith Dowd, and her incredible team
I will be forever grateful!