LIFE ISSUES FORUM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Girl on a Train November 4, 2016
By Kimberly Baker
A
few days ago, I was in a crowded metro car during early morning rush
hour. At one stop a rather ordinary, but nervous young woman boarded. As
the train started moving again, she braced herself and then spoke aloud
to everyone.
She tried to project her
voice, with a controlled self-consciousness as she did so. She
explained, haltingly, that she had recently become homeless, had nowhere
to go, and would be grateful for any money or help offered. She
hesitated, and then added that she had just learned she was pregnant.
When finished, she looked down at the floor, eyes clouded with
uncertainty.
[Wikipedia photo of homeless woman]
I've been riding the metro for
several years. This was the first time I have seen a young woman
explaining that she was both homeless and pregnant, her words faltering
as she looked around at the many faces ignoring her. Her entire
appearance expressed, in a striking way, someone who was both trying to contain her fear yet summon the courage to express her urgent need.
A
few people came forward, holding out $20 bills, which she accepted with
trembling hands. I felt compelled to do more, to give her something
beyond the expectation that she would have to live in the streets and
the subway, day by day, begging for money. I grabbed some paper and
jotted down information about a local maternity home.
I
offered her the piece of paper. She was startled, then took the paper
and read. She looked back at me, curious. I gently explained how it was a
place that could help her out. I saw a sense of longing well up in her,
and something else: a flicker of hope in her eyes. I smiled at her and
nodded reassuringly. She smiled in return, and thanked me quietly.
That
brief encounter was very powerful. It was a small connection, with few
words exchanged; but I'll never forget the look of hope in the girl's
eyes. I pray that she was able to reach the maternity home so she will
not have to spend nights on the streets, alone and vulnerable.
As
it gets colder and we approach the holidays, let us especially keep in
mind all who are homeless and all women facing unexpected pregnancies,
especially young unmarried pregnant women who feel they have nowhere to
go, no one to trust. If you know of any women in these circumstances,
there are pregnancy help centers and maternity homes that can offer
resources and support. Some homes have special programs to help mothers
finish their education and get a job. Check with your parish or diocesan
pro-life office about local resources.
The more we educate ourselves about what help is available to
women in crisis pregnancies, the more we can be a light to others in
dark situations. Even for the stranger we encounter, it is always
possible to offer a bit of hope, no matter how small.
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