A Journey from the Streets to Fragile Stability

Lisa Wiebe, a resident of rural Manitoba who captures her life through photography, ended her period of homelessness in July 2019. Yet the fear of returning to the streets lingered constantly. Transitioning back to everyday routines proved challenging after enduring trauma from street life and fleeing a decade-long abusive relationship.

Securing housing near her hometown offered initial relief, but maintaining it was tough. The remote location lacked transportation options, and rent consumed nearly 90 percent of her employment income assistance. This left just over $100 monthly for groceries, essentials, and bills.

Isolation and Limited Access to Resources

The area provided no nearby grocery stores, doctors, or public transit. Essential services like the food bank were in Steinbach, requiring reliance on volunteers from Steinbach Community Outreach for rides. When those weren’t available, Wiebe walked the 11-kilometer round trip.

Without cellphone service or affordable internet, she trekked to a local convenience store and gas station for public Wi-Fi to seek help, arrange rides, or contact her doctor. Once the owners discovered this, they secured the network with a password, cutting off that lifeline.

Health Struggles and Physical Toll

Nerve damage in her shoulder and right arm, along with osteophytes on her cervical disc, stemmed partly from carrying her belongings in a backpack during months on the streets. That winter, limited food access led to starvation and a malnutrition diagnosis, impairing her ability to digest solids.

Steinbach Community Outreach provided vital supplements that aided partial recovery. Still, Wiebe spent the season in isolation, enduring severe pain and cold. Many nights, she curled up by the baseboard heater in a fetal position, tears flowing as she wished for relief.

Her cat, Loki, served as an emotional support companion during these dark times.

Navigating the Pandemic and Housing Instability

By spring, the COVID-19 pandemic intensified her challenges. To stay near vital resources, she couch-hopped in Steinbach. Eventually, she rented an upstairs suite in downtown Steinbach, hoping proximity to support would foster healing.

However, in early 2021, her landlord arranged to rent the space to another tenant’s girlfriend, forcing Wiebe to leave and face renewed homelessness risks. After nearly four months of searching, she found affordable housing in Crystal City, three hours west of her hometown.

Two years post-homelessness, mental health support remained elusive. One doctor suggested prayer, while another implied she avoided work. Persistence led to disability approval.

Ongoing Trauma and Path to Recovery

Four years later, Wiebe remains in Crystal City with supportive landlords, free from immediate housing threats. Yet daily anxiety about sudden homelessness persists. She battles mental health issues, including worthlessness, self-loathing, and intense flashbacks.

Living in hypervigilance feels like teetering on a cliff’s edge, awaiting the push. A recent mental health evaluation confirmed complex post-traumatic stress disorder.

Society often assumes those who escape homelessness can quickly resume normal life and work. However, unresolved trauma hinders full recovery and societal reintegration.

The road to healing from homelessness is arduous, far from luxurious. Wiebe hopes her experiences inspire others to persevere and foster greater empathy for those feeling invisible and hopeless.