I have begun a part-time job as Chaplain to Our Mother's Home, a home for teenage girls and their babies. There are five girls there now, 15-17 and four little ones(3 mos-four years) and 3 on the way. I think the capacity is 8 girls with children. I spent Tues hearing and reading their stories and my heart was moved with compassion and upheaval at the pain they have already endured.
OMH was started by a very dear member of the RC parish that I used to attend. (In fact, I ministered to her husband after her death as he was placed in a Nursing Home). It was intended to remain under RC auspices, but somehow(probably for survival issues) got given over to the State agency for children and families, so all of the girls there are in foster care too. Yet, our Loving God kept Her hand there and the President of the Board and the present Board members and the Director all have strong Christian identification and because of my dual qualifications (Pastor and Clinical SW license) they can hire me to " counsel and bring God to these girls". (Group meetings every 2 weeks and individual meetings as needed).
They started with me giving a Bible Study about a month ago: I chose the theme of How much God loves you, and calls you by name". The work per se began last night with what is a mixed purpose kind of group and mixed media as well. The important thing is their real sharing and learning in their hearts Mother-God responses. The most beautiful part of the meeting for me is their prayers when we pray together and this moment: I put out a lot of art materials in the eginning and they were eager to color. I gave them empty paper but only one used it-writing the name she has chosen for her baby in glitter.
The theme was fears vs. hope and the fears were many and the hopes few. The coloring picture I found for hope was a Christmas candle called the Candle of Hope with Mary holding the baby Jesus as they looked lovingly at one another superimposed. After a time of laughter and introductions,they worked on the picture quietly as we talked about their fears and hopes. I then softly and gently but with emphasis/emotion read them the 23rd Psalm as they sort of laid across the table with their coloring. As I read: "surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life..." I could literally see them take in that love and relax in God's arms. When I finished they looked up in such a rare moment of peace. I told them what I saw and they said I was right, they could feel God's love right there.
It was beautiful, and by the way, none had ever heard the 23rd Psalm before this. I then moved to the hope of Mary and the newborn baby Jesus, the Hope of the world-and of them and their babies as hope as well. This opened the sharing of their hopes for themselves and their babies. They moved from defining themselves as "bad" to "giving birth to hope". AMEN!
Please join me in praying for these girls and their babies.
Judy Lee, ARCWP
Association of Roman Catholic Women Priests
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