The last time we sent a newsletter we were celebrating the birth of Jesus to Mary his mother, and Joseph his father who were in very difficult circumstances – on the run from a king who wanted to kill their child.
This time we would like to tell you about our mothers and children. The mothers that we support and encourage may be on the run from an abusive partner or battling mental illness or trying to escape an addiction. Sometimes they are mothers in name only, and despite all their efforts do not have the parental capacity to nurture the physical, mental, psychological or spiritual growth of their child.
Some mothers may not be able to care for their children because of mental illness or addictions and so their children are placed in foster homes or live with their fathers or grandparents. They are still mothers and they miss their children deeply and mourn the loss whatever the length of time, of the sound and sight and touch of those sons and daughters. A few are fortunate to enjoy their families on the weekend for a short visit.
Other mothers truly love their children and understand how to care for them but because of a financial or family crisis cannot afford their present accommodation and have nowhere to go.
This past year we witnessed a huge increase in the number of children who came to stay at Logifem with their mothers – 27 children plus 3 adolescents in 2014 compared to 19 children in 2013.
Could this be an upward trend? We do not know, but we are very happy to be able to receive these families in their time of need and to offer them the services of an experienced mother/child worker at the shelter ( see profile). We are also thrilled that after many months and years of planning and praying we now have completed our Logifamille project – six affordable apartments for women who have been able to start a new life on a more secure and safe foundation in their new home. They too have the support of our mother/child worker.
All these mothers wish to re-integrate into the community and choose to stay at Logifem/Logifamille for a period of time to develop the path to achieve their goals.
We feel blessed to be able to work with them. As it is stated in Mark 10: 14 “Permit the children to come to me; do not stop them; for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these”.
Ruth Bresnen, Interim Director