Re: Fw: Get to know a ...

Several years ago, I did some volunteer work for the Christian Appalachian
Project (founded by a Catholic priest and now ecumenical) at their Family
Life Center near Mt. Vernon, Kentucky. It is a half-way house for women
(mostly) with children escaping an abusive relationship with a husband or
boyfriend. The women come from the eastern Kentucky mountains. I will
never forget one conversation I had with a single woman who had just given
birth to her second child. I asked if I could hold the eleven-day old girl,
and I cooed with her the way a grampa would. This woman began to share her
story with me. She said that at least this guy gave her $500 for the costs
of the birth. "The other guy didn't give me a thing," she said. Then after
a while, she said, "I didn't know there were any men out there like you." I
was deeply touched, and saddened for her.

I learned a great deal from the women and from the staff who minister to
them how so many single and other mothers get into this situation. The
tragedy is that in so many parts of rural Kentucky, men are not taught how
to be loving and caring men, and both men and women suffer for it.

I realize that this note is taking us off track for this web site, but I
think the "get to know" exchanges have been valuable.

Bob Schneider

----- Original Message -----
From: "Freeman, Louise Margaret" <lfreeman@mbc.edu>
To: <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2006 7:35 AM
Subject: Re: Fw: Get to know a ...

> I'll add one too. Get to know a young woman who's pregnant, and afraid to
> tell her
> parents. Or one who's told her parents and been told to expect no help
> from them. Or one
> who's told the baby's father and been told to expect no help from him. Or
> one whose
> parents are more concerned about getting her married immediately than they
> are about
> geting her prenatal care. Or one whose boyfriend is pressuring her daily
> to abort.
> __
> Louise M. Freeman, PhD
> Psychology Dept
> Mary Baldwin College
> Staunton, VA 24401
> 540-887-7326
> FAX 540-887-7121
>
>
>
Received on Tue Mar 21 09:50:24 2006