Three years ago this month, I got a new job. I was working retail but was really missing the social service field and helping people in need. A friend of mine let me know about a job opening with the company she was working for so I applied. The company called me a few days later and said that the position I had applied for was no longer needed, but would I be interested in a 9 hour per week position working with teen moms and their babies. Just the word 'teen' made me cringe a little. I've never really loved working with teens....I never really loved being a teen myself and I wasn't sure I had much to give to these teens. I applied anyway and after two interviews I got the job. I was incredibly nervous to be working with the teen mom population and told myself that I would give myself a month and if I hated it I would look for something else. Little did I know that working with these teen moms would change my world.
In the past several months there has been some budget cutting in the school district and the collaboration our program had with the teen mom school dhas dissolved. As I said goodbye to the teen moms on our last day at the school, I realized that I have a deep passion to see young mothers succeed in this world. Everything is against their success. People tell these moms all the time that they are "too young", "not mature enough to be moms" and that they "should give their babies up for adoption." Yes, I realize these statements can be true but the reality is that these moms have chosen to keep their babies and raise them the best that they know how. Whether it's right or wrong in your moral view, it's their choice.
Supporting teen moms can be a challenging, exciting, aggravating and joyful thing. It oftentimes takes a lot of relational work breaking down walls so you can see the real issues in their journey. Is it worth all the work? I definitely think so. I can not tell you how encouraging it is to have a mom pour out her life to you after months and years (yes, years!) of trying to break down those walls. That is where you can see hope rise up in their eyes....they realize that you are there to help support them, love them, and walk with them in their parenting journey. It's the best part of the job!
As the school district has made budget cuts and have scaled back in their support for these young mothers, it is hard to stand by and watch the teen moms struggle. Education is so important for their success and yet the school system won't/can't support them in a way that is relevant and helpful. 50% of teen mothers won't ever graduate from high school (it's way less if you are Hispanic teen mom) and only 3% of those moms who graduate will go on to obtain a bachelor's degree by the time they are 30. That's a problem for all of us.
A coworker of mine happened to mention the idea of a starting a charter school for teen moms. I thought "Yeah, that's a cool idea for someone to do." God started working. I could NOT get the idea to leave me. Trust me, I tried. I gave the idea every excuse I had: I'm too young, I don't know anything about educating young moms, I don't have time, I don't know anyone to help with it, I don't have enough experience....etc. etc. etc. But, I just couldn't shake it. I started researching online and decided to go to a meeting for those who wanted to start a school. That was November. Now, we are in the deep process of writing the application for the school, due April 2nd. I think God has bigger plans and probably (lovingly) chuckles at my silly excuses.
I am being stretched beyond my capacity. A couple weeks ago a friend of mine was telling me about her little girl's swimming lessons. She said the instructor would tell her pupils, "You can do hard things!". I feel like that is what God is telling me...."Adrienne, you can do hard things." I am notorious for giving up on big ideas, but I CAN do hard things. Like help start a charter school. I am not going to lie....I have wanted to give up. It is overwhelming. There are so many rules and regulations. I am not an amazing writer. I have feelings of doubt and fear. But, God has consistently reminded me that He is bigger than all of that and that He has put me in this for a reason. God has a bigger picture.
As we go forward, please pray for us! There are a lot of obstacles to get through and a teen mom school has some very unique challenges. Please pray that God would provide ways through and around the obstacles. Pray that he would continue to grow me in this process and that I would be obedient. Pray that God would be glorified in this!!
