The Sad Part of My Job :-(

     This past Thursday, I was thrown into the hardest part of my job (the part of child protection that most social workers HATE)!!!  I met my newest client -- a young teen mom who is about to deliver her first child.  She will probably deliver her child this coming weekend; however, she will not get a chance to be with her child for very long.  You see, due to her risky and destructive behaviors, the local authority (me) will be taking her newborn into protective custody and placed with a foster family.  This young mom has been given chance after chance after chance to show some type of change in her behaviors so the local authority (me) can give her an opportunity to keep her child.  However, she kept on running away from her placements and getting involved with others twice here age -- smoking, drinking and other risky behaviors.  Now that her child is due, she realizes what she has done, but it is too late according to the local authority.  We will request an order from the courts to take custody of the child when it is born and take him/her away from this young girl. 

     This just absolutely breaks my heart because this young girl is simply a product of her past.  You see, this young teen had been taken advantage of sexually by serveral other persons, including family members. After learning to run away from all her struggles, she became very street savey and learned to survive on her own.  Now, in her mid-teens, she will loose her child to the local authority becasue she never had a chance to feel loved, nurtured or cared for by her mother or father.  They were the ones who let these actions take place when she was younger.  It is truely a "lose - lose" situation, and my heart breaks for her.  As she cries and cries about giving her another chance, all I can do is to try to comfort her as best I can.  My hands are tied on this one since I inherited this case so late in it's process.  I am truely "the enemy" to her and I do not blame her nor judge her for any ill-will against me or the local authority.

     I have been praying for her and her child since the day I knew I was taking over this case.  A real SHITTY case due to the circumstances!!!  As I ask God for guidance on this case, I understand that it is in the best interest of the child at this point to find him/her a safe and nurturing home.  In the mean time, I will try to work with this young teen to try to get her to accept therapy for this trauma and the traumas of her past.  In the only light spot in this case, I am able to provide weekly visitations to her and her child after he/she is born.  This young teen has even threatened to take her life if her baby is taken from her.  Once again, I can understand how she may feel and do not judge her for these threats.  She will be in a secured residential unit so they can watch her and help her through everything.  I really HATE this part of my job; however, it is a necessary evil if I am to protect the life of her new baby.  Her actions are to protect herself and keep herself safe, so it is HER needs which she puts forth.  With a new child, she must put the needs of her child first andshow good judgement in her actions when she becomes angry or distressed.  So far, no good.

     This is where I get to be labelled "baby-snatcher" and it fits.  But deep within my heart, I know that I am doing what is in this best interst for this innocent baby which will be coming into this world soon.  I HATE the position in which I find myself, but this is the part of my job where I draw upon the support and comfort of my friends and family.  And since I am constantly in prayer to My Father, I know that He will forgive me for anything which I may do wrong according to His plan.  I do not have all the answers, nor do I have the insight into what the future may bring to this young teen and her baby if I keep them together.  But for now, my heart tells me that I must take this child into protective custody.  I can only pray that I may be able to help this young teen have her child returned to her in the future.  God willing!!! 

May God have mercy on my soul.

YoungLives Update

     On Tuesday evening, I had the most wonderful telephone conversation with the YoungLives Director, Jen Bynard, and she was very encouraged about beginning the first International YoungLives program here in Reading. She has spoken to her contact here in the UK, Tate, and he only lives about 1 hour from Reading. Tate confirmed my information to Jen about Reading having the highest teen pregnancies in the UK, and then in the whole of Europe. She also verified this on the Internet.  Anyway, Tate has a young couple who is willing to take on the task of running a YoungLives program and she lives less than 1/2 hour from Reading. Amazing how these people live so close to Reading!!! Tate will be in touch with me soon and then we will discuss how we can get YoungLives funded here. Maybe even get a grant from the government since teen pregnancy is high on their list of troubled areas to have immediate attention.  Who knows what God has in store for this possibility?
     So far things are going so smoothly and I'm just wondering when the axe will fall on all of this. It's a bit scary that things are unravelling like this. I'm afraid to blink so as not to miss something; however, Jen said that she will walk us through everything, and maybe come here to help a bit when things begin to take shape. Wow, can you believe that I may be involved in the beginning of something so needed and so wonderful here in the UK? I can't. Like I told you before, I am just God's messenger and servant. It is only through Him that YoungLives will take hold over here. Please, please, please keep me and the possibility of a YoungLives Program here in the UK in your prayers.  God knows I will need them!!!!