The Moms

As we have spent time with the moms of the campers this week, invariably we are astounded at the level of grace in their lives.  Let me just give you a sampling of examples:

• Most of the moms were told by their doctor upon the birth of their disabled child to give the child up.  Don’t bother even trying to take care of the child.  There is no hope.  They will never amount to anything.  They are not worth putting any effort into because they will never be “normal.”  They will never be able to walk, talk, play, laugh, learn . . . you name it.
• At least half of the moms were abandoned by their husbands upon the discovery that their child was disabled.  The stories ranged from: “he lost interest in me” to “he found other girls and drugs” to “he left when I paid too much attention to our child”  to “he didn’t love me anymore.”  Over and over again the women were abandoned in their time of need, and their child(ren) have grown up without a father.
• None of these moms have found any support in society (outside of Mission to Ukraine) for help and guidance with their disabled child.  Every improvement, therapy, or idea they have had to search out on their own and discover.  Everyone tells them there is no hope for their child and the message is always, “you can’t.” 
• None of these moms have the advantage of wealth and resources.  They are poor and barely can feed their family.  They have to do everything themselves without the help of any modern conveniences or support network. 
• If they ever want to go anywhere with their child, they have to figure out how to navigate a world using all public transportation, no ramps or accessible buildings, and oftentimes in bitter cold.
• And yet, when we were talking about their situation yesteray in the moms’ group, the prevailing sentiment was feeling sympathy for people who have it worse than they do, for diabled children who do not have families.
  

  Anya and her grandmother, Nadeerna, Veronica and her mom Liana

Here are some of the quotes from them this week:

• “Camp makes me feel like I am living.”
• “At camp I can leave all of my problems behind me.”
• “We have to live, believe, survive, and share God with those around us.”
• “This is completely differernt than my life back home.”
• “This supports and sustains me.”
• “She (my daughter) needs to live!”
• “When my mom died the heavens fell down to earth.  Within two months I had a visit from an MTU nurse.  This was a sign from above.  I needed help.  She talked and I opened up and this was the beginning of our life.  MTU gave me attention noone else did.”
• “I came here with many questions.  I have found the answers to my questions.”

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