Mother's Day
I've been thinking a lot about the upcoming Mother's day. And then Father's day after that.
I think about the child that is in our arms, but was never really meant to be. The little boy who was born to a mother who would never love or care for him because of poverty and injustice and disease.
And I think about the little boy who was born to us. Things with him are just the way they were meant to be. Or so I think.
These realities swirl around in my head and my heart, leaving me conflicted about the holidays we celebrate. Grateful, but frustrated and heartbroken all at the same time.
Last year I encountered women who were daily forced to decide whether their children most needed the love of a family or food in the stomaches- because in Congo those things are sometimes mutually exclusive. Orphanages may be the best possible option for some kids in the midst of tragedy, but the reality is that there should be better options. And that's what we're trying to do at Reeds of Hope... give mothers access to better options.
We're partnering with our Congolese friends Paul and Micheline to help lift mothers out of poverty so that they can love and feed their children. So they can parent and educate them. So they don't have to make impossible decisions just to keep their kids alive.
Paul & Micheline have a vision to empower and support the families in their community, we are honored to come alongside them. They will use our scholarship fund to invite vulnerable mothers into their sewing training program. For three months these women will learn a skill and prepare to launch a small business. At the end of the training, we anticipate that these women will be in a position to support their families. Check back as we will be introducing our first class very soon!
guest post by board member, Holly Doden