|
The Outreach Program
Our Young Moms
As
far as we are concerned the young moms
and babies that live with us will leave
only bodily the Crossroads facility.
These young moms will be encouraged
to continue attending the classes and
to participate in the on-going activities
that they enjoyed while living with
us.
Classes at Crossroads Ministry
will also be available to all young mothers
who have gone for counseling at a
Crisis Pregnancy Center or by referral
from a church or hospital. We will be
offering parenting classes as well as
life skill classes. Moms not living
with us will be able to choose which
classes they would like to attend.
Classes will include Bible Study,
prenatal care, new baby care,
baby massage, cooking on a budget, health
and nutrition, living within
their income on a personal budget, building
relationships, and making keepsakes.
There will be opportunities
to learn computer skills, basic housekeeping,
personal care, refinishing items
for their own home, and gardening.
We will also be offering special
classes on Self-Esteem and Boundaries.
These two classes will address
the reasons most young women make the
wrong choices that change their
life forever.
As the children
grow, our programs will address those
concerns also. Our goal is
to teach these young women that they are
worthy of God’s love and our
love and that through support and motivation
they can become strong spiritually,
physically, and emotionally.
They will find the confidence and inner
strength necessary to become
independent loving mothers. Many have
never been parented so have no iidea
on how to be a mother to the new baby
nor have they learned the
basics of making a home because they
never really had one. Our vision is
to teach and encourage all this and
more.
Any young woman who passes
through our doors will be strengthened
in mind, body, and spirit – ready to face
the challenges ahead with confidence and
knowing they will always have a family
at Crossroads Ministry.
This message will be on
a plaque over the entrance to our Community
Room Door:
We serve all of the young
women and their Children who pass through
these doors for the Glorification of God.
“For I know the plans that
I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans
for welfare and not for calamity to give
you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah
29:11
Girls, Boys, and their
Moms
As the children grow up
we will add age appropriate fun times
(classes in disguise) that both the moms
and their daughters or sons
can participate in together. In addition
to the regular teachers they
will have trained
mentors to walk alongside them and
give them a helping hand whenever needed.
They will have a chance to
interact with other women from
similar or entirely different backgrounds
who will be able
to give a different perspective on whatever
they may be going
through and do so with a loving,
non-judgmental heart.
Boys, Girls, and their
Dads
In some instances the moms
have encouraged her son’s father
to be involved in his life and this
is an especially important part
of a little
boys’ development in becoming
a man and a daddy. Our hope is to also
have the little boys and their
dads do things together with trained
male mentors from various
walks of life; from working
in the gardens to walking
together; from fishing
to working on cars. Each aspect is a
vital part of growing
up and doing “guy” stuff. In many
instances, this may be new
to the dads also, as so many have
not grown up with
a father that did things with him.
This way the boy
and his dad can grow and learn together
with love and acceptance
from another male role model
or in some cases a new ‘father
figure’. They will learn the
importance of sharing their
time together with the most important
Father of all, our God the
Father!
A daddy is also a very
important aspect of a daughter’s life.
She will often use him
as a role model for her perspective
dating and husband material.
This being the case, their
relationship needs to be
encouraged to develop that special
father/daughter bond. If there
is a daughter instead of a son,
then she will be encouraged to
join the group above
in their activities. All of them
may not interest her but she may become
involved in the ones that
do and therefore grow in other areas
of her life. Tomboys can be
a lot of fun. I know, I was
one, my friends were,
and my daughter was, and the out-of-doors
is our arena.
Moms, Dads, Daughters,
and Sons
The Crossroads facility
will have lots of open space and the garden
area will have a large picnic area. With
this we plan on having ‘family’ picnics
and gardening days. Each ‘family’ will
have its own plot to grow whatever they
want. It can be vegetables or flowers,
or both, but it will be maintained by
that family unit and the abundance shared
with the other families. They will learn
of the gift of beauty and abundance that
was given by the One who watches over
all and provides for us. If there is a
mom and child that does not have a father
present then we will encourage her mentor
to bring her husband as a substitute ‘daddy’.
It is important that no one feel left
out. We will not be pushing these moms
and dads together for any reason other
than being a cohesive unit for their child.
If, during these events, the couple can
see a future together then that will be
encouraged with counseling and eventual
marriage. But, it will be their decision
only and our dream for them.
Our future garden and picnic area
|
