Betsy's Children

I’ve met hundreds, probably into the thousands of working girls this year, and I never saw an angrier one than on this Monday. She swore so much that every second word was a curse. “Don’t you dare pray for me? I don’t need prayers” she yelled at us, and then following us, yelled and swore for at least a block. Honestly, I thought at first, she had a demon in her, and prayed for her under my breath. After a block, she appeared to give up on us. Ten minutes later, we were talking to another woman. Hearing a small noise behind me, I turned around to see this angry young girl, now just standing and looking at me. “I’ve been praying for my babies, but God isn’t hearing me… “ She said in a halting voice. My heart broke, as I said, “What’s wrong with your babies?” The young thin girl said, “My two-year old is in the hospital. My uncle was driving drunk with her in the car. She wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and hit the windshield, and my little boy Damien, is only two months old, and…” Then, she started to weep from the depths of her heart, so deeply. I didn’t know… I didn’t know that I was pregnant and I was taking drugs, and now Damien is addicted! They won’t even let me see him! She wailed. Her pain was so deep, and full of despair. This little mother, I found out then, is only 16 years old, and was born with FAS (fetal alcohol syndrome) and has spent most of her life in foster care. I just held her and cried. Our faces were both wet with tears. “Just pray for my babies,” she said. Before she left us, she gently took my crucifix that I wore, and kissed it. Please pray for Betsy, Carrie and Damien.

Update: I haven’t seen her since that night. It’s been two years, since that night, but after typing this I must say her face is still clear in my mind, and I still pray for her. So many of the young girls we see on the street have been diagnosed with fetal alcohol syndrome. Alcohol continues to be such a problem in our society when misused, and is so devastating when used when pregnant.