It’s time I shared why Rick and I became involved with the Women’s shelter. Over the course of my career as a home care nurse, I had gone to inservices, interfaced with the staff from Family Violence Network as we worked down the hall from FVN office. I knew intellectually what the issues were, but never had it touch my heart until I worked in a local emergency room doing discharge planning. It was my job to give information, resources and assist with follow up for patients who were leaving the emergency room. In most cases, the Crisis Social Workers handled all cases of abuse and I handled medical discharges.
One particular evening, there were other critical situations for the SW to handle. I was asked to give resource to a young woman who had been thrown down a flight of stairs. She was about 20 years old. Her injuries did not occur at the hands of a boyfriend, husband or other significant other. Her injuries were inflicted by her mother- a very significant other, the individual we typically think of as the protector. When I met with her to give information about the Tubman Family Alliance, she said she had been through those systems before as a teen. She was now “too old according to the rules for them to help” . She said she was to blame for what happened. She told me that she and her mother had had a disagreement, and she “had mouthed off” . I spent a few minutes talking to her and discussing that even if she had “mouthed off”, it is not OK for one individual to throw another down the stairs. I shared that my children were in their 20s at that time and as they grew up, there were many times when they had expressed a difference of opinion. There were times that they were not exactly polite, soft spoken or angelic about it. There were better ways to handle the situation than become violent. After our discussion, she did agree to speak with someone from Tubman, who would work with her and perhaps her mom. Her parting words were, “I wish you could talk to my mother. Actually, I wish you had been my mother.” After I left the room, I knew that I would never forget this young girl, or that she seemed resolved to the fact that somehow she deserved to be thrown down the stairs.
When the opportunity came up at APR to do some childcare, I reminded Rick of this story and we decided to dedicate some time to this ministry. It really only takes a little over 1 hr a week. Yes, the children will “push your buttons” sometimes. They are looking for a response. It is our challenge to be the hands and feet of Jesus by responding the way He would have – with His hand out in love– not raised in anger.
Please take some time in prayer to think about this story and ask the Lord how you can help these women and children.