Mary's Shelter June Newsletter
Vol. 2, No. 6 |
Greetings!
We have been very busy the last few months preparing for our Summer Soirée and Fundraiser on August 13th. We are new to this kind of fundraising and are so grateful to our loyal supporters who have been helping us along the way. We are excited about the positive direction in which we are moving at Mary's Shelter, which is evident by the success of so many of our residents. Please read about some of the wonderful changes our ladies have made in their lives. These important milestones and successes would not have been possible without your prayers and support. Thank you for helping these women to hope for more. Looking forward to seeing everyone on the 13th!
God Bless. Kathleen Wilson, Director
"Look at the mothers who truly love their children: how many sacrifices they make for them. They are ready for everything, even to give their own blood so that their babies grow up good, healthy and strong. "
-St. Gianna Beretta Molla
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SAVE THE DATE
Friday, August 13th, 2010
7-9 pm
Summer Soirée and Fundraiser
in support of
Mary's Shelter,
homes for women facing a crisis pregnancy
Guest Speaker - Ken Cuccinelli, Attorney General of Virginia
Master of Ceremonies - David Bereit, National Director of 40 Days for Life
Venue graciously provided by St. Michael the Archangel High School, Fredericksburg, VA
Please contact info@marysshelterva.org
or call 540 623 5778 for more information.
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Proudly Introducing
Baby Nadia, born 6/17/10
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Resident Profiles
The following are profiles of some of our current residents. All names are fictitious.
MONICA: Monica has had a difficult first month at Mary's Shelter. During her last month of pregnancy, the teeth in the back of her mouth began falling out, and the pain was really unbearable. There was nothing the dentist could do for her until after she delivered her baby, so she suffered for weeks. Finally, at a routine prenatal appointment, the doctor discovered that her kidneys had stopped working, and so she was induced the same day. Fortunately, Monica was far enough along in her pregnancy that her baby, Nadia Olivia, suffered no ill effects from the emergency induction. Less than a week after delivery, Monica was back at the library, doing her on-line college program with a toddler on her lap, a baby in a car seat, and two girls playing at computers beside her. We are all very impressed by Monica's determination to achieve her goals. Clearly, little things like oral surgery, kidney malfunction, and childbirth are not going to stop her!
PAULINA: Our newest resident, Paulina, needs a lot of prayers. She came to us from the Hope House where she had failed to get a job, and therefore, could no longer be a part of their program. She is not very far along in her pregnancy and is, sadly, still very abortion-minded. This baby will be her fourth child. She currently has custody of only one child, her youngest who just turned 1. She has many difficult issues to deal with, and so we would appreciate prayers both for her and her children, as well as for our staff who must discern how best to work with her.
ISABEL: Last month, Isabel passed the GED, a real triumph for our 33 yr. old resident. This fall, Isabel will be entering Germanna Community College as a full-time student. She is currently doing volunteer work for Mary's Shelter while she patiently waits for the arrival of her baby boy at the end of July. We are so proud of her achievement and the good example she is setting for our younger residents that it is never to late to reach your goal if you persevere.
CATHERINE: Catherine is placid and sincere, genuine yet often expressionless. She has proven to all of us here at Mary's Shelter that she is the embodiment of the expression, "still waters run deep". Just a short time ago, she was hospitalized for seizures, was stripped of her driver's license, and was feeling demoralized. Catherine, however, did not let adversity stand in her way for long. She applied to Career Training Solutions and was told that if she could pass the entrance exam, she would be awarded a full tuition scholarship. Catherine has some learning disabilities, so we were worried that she might not pass. But Catherine was not worried, and she passed! She has started working at two different jobs and plans to continue working at night while in school. She has also continued to hold semi-monthly bake sales at Giant, helping to raise over $1200 towards the educational expenses of our residents. We are very impressed with Catherine's perseverance and positive attitude and now know that behind a mild exterior lies a fiercely determined woman!
CELINE: We wish Celine well as she moves on from Mary's Shelter. We are going to miss her quirky personality and her great sense of humor. Celine has decided to move to New Jersey where a cousin has offered her an affordable basement apartment. She is happy to be closer to her family and is confident she can regain her former job. Please continue praying for her high-risk pregnancy and that her living arrangement turns out to be as good as it seems.
In addition to the moms you have read about, Mary's Shelterprovides homes to other mothers and children. Please keep themALL in your prayers.
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 An Interview with Amanda Lord
Amanda Lord has been an intern at Mary's Shelter for four months. She is the proud birthmother of a 5 yr. old boy and a self-proclaimed pro-life activist.
My role as an intern at Mary's Shelter is sending thank-you notes for donations, keeping an eye on the residents, and doing everything I can to help with the day-to-day function of the home.
Q: Tell us a little about your background.
I grew up on the Gulf coast of Florida. As the only daughter raised by a single father, I have always been a bit of a tom-boy. I graduated from high school while pregnant and living in a maternity home. When I was 20, I moved to Texas to attend college. Knowing that God was calling me to fight for the lives of pre-born babies, I dropped out and moved to California to be a full-time pro-life activist activist.
Q: What motivated you to want this job?
As a pro-life activist, I ask women to not abort their babies. Interning with Mary's Shelter has given me the joy of helping women who decide to let their babies live!
Q: What do you feel you have to offer to the residents at Mary's Shelter?
My experience with a crisis pregnancy has allowed me to relate to the women because I can understand what it is like to live through such trying times. I understand the enormous pressures of being homeless and pregnant without any hope. But I also know there is a light at the end of the tunnel and I do my best to show them that.
Q: How would you describe you relationship with the residents?
I have grown quite close to a couple of the ladies of Mary's Shelter. I strive to be there for the girls to give them advice or just be there for them to talk to. Each relationship I have with the women of Mary's Shelter is a true blessing.
Q: What place does God have in your life?
I can say with certainty that if it were not for Jesus Christ, I would not be alive today. He is my Savior and the Lord of my life.
Q: What is your dream job?
My dream job is to be a housewife and mother while working with women facing crisis pregnancies.
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The Mary's Shelter Summer Soirée Decorating Project
Do you have an old wooden ladder or rustic wheel barrow? Would you like to decorate your ladder or wheel barrow and bring it to the Summer Soirée Fundraiser? If so, or if you are intrigued and would like more information, please contact us atinfo@marysshelterva.org
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Our Knitting Class Needs Donations!
 Please consider a donation of knitting needles or yarn for our semi-monthly knitting classes. If you are interested in making a donation of supplies, or would like to know what is specifically needed, please contact Ginny Foreman atginnysheller@gmail.com
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Thank You!
*We would like to extend a big thank you and loving farewell toFather John Riley, who has been a tremendous supporter of Mary's Shelter from the very beginning. We wish him well as he begins the next chapter of his life at the Augustine Institute in Denver, Colorado. Although we are happy for him and all the lives he will touch in Denver, he will be sorely missed by so many of us here in Virginia.
*Thank you to St. John the Beloved Catholic Church for the very generous donation and sponsorship of one of our ladies during her stay at Mary's Shelter. Thank you also for all the wonderful baby items. We appreciate your support and friendship.
*Thank you to Margaret Williamson for helping our residents to host a Pampered Chef party. All the proceeds, as well as Margaret's commission, went towards the purchase of badly needed cooking supplies for our homes. We had a great turn-out for the party, and Margaret showed our ladies how to prepare several easy and delicious dishes. Thank you to everyone who came, and especially to those who couldn't come but placed an order online! The residents and cooking class instructors are extremely grateful for all the new supplies.
*Thank you to Fr. Bjorn Lundberg from St. Mary's Catholic Church for taking part in our Saturday Night Speaker Series. Fr. Lundberg really has a gift for speaking, which was proven by the mix of tears and laughter around the room. Our residents desperately need such words of encouragement, wisdom and hope. We hope you will come back again soon!
*A huge thank you to Lori Fowlkes for working so tirelessly on our invitations for the Summer Soirée! They are truly works of art. If you would like to see one, make sure you are on our mailing list! Email your address to: info@marysshelterva.org
*We would like to send a big shout-out to AKA Printing and St. Michael the Archangel High School for their incredible out-pouring of help and generosity.
*Thanks to Rachel Luciani and the Daisy Troop 3771 for their donations. We are so thrilled that you could come to the shelter to visit and spend time with some of our tiny residents!
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