Amy & Markel Charron
On this page you are going to hear secretly-taped audio of a little two-year girl in ‘protective custody’ say she is being hit at home, that it hurts, you will her hear cry to go home with her mommy in the car she remembers, you will her scream at being separated from her mother at the end of the CPS-supervised visit, but worse than that, you will see color photos of this angel’s back and bottom covered in bruises and welts. At the time these abuse photos were taken, she had not been in my care for 8 months. But before you see how she looks in my mother and step-father’s care, see how she looked in mine.
Isabella Brooke Knightly and Austin Gamez-Knightly
In Memory of my Loving Husband, William F. Knightly Jr. Murdered by ILLEGAL Palliative Care at a Nashua, NH Hospital
Sunday, December 19, 2010
What Would Happen If Jesus Were Born In U.S. Today?
What Would Happen If Jesus Were Born In U.S. Today?
What Would Happen If Jesus Were Born In U.S. Today?
Infant Discovered In Barn, Child Protective Services Launch Probe
Nazareth Carpenter Being Held On Charges Involving Underage Mother
12/14/06 --"Information Clearing House" - Bethlehem, Judea - Authorities were today alerted by a concerned citizen who noticed a family living in a barn. Upon arrival, Family Protective Service personnel, accompanied by police, took into protective care an infant child named Jesus, who had been wrapped in strips of cloth and placed in a feeding trough by his 14-year old mother, Mary of Nazareth.
During the confrontation, a man identified as Joseph, also of Nazareth, attempted to stop the social workers. Joseph, aided by several local shepherds and some unidentified foreigners, tried to forestall efforts to take the child, but were restrained by the police.
At one point Joseph became confrontational and delusional claiming the child was "God's child". An officer, who used a Tazer device on Joseph, stated,"The man became uncooperative. We feared for his own safety and that of the child so we used a non-lethal weapon and restrained him in handcuffs. This was the same man I detained earlier for attempting to take a donkey on a public highway. At that time he incredibly claimed a 'common right to his conveyance of choice on a public highway' explaining that his donkey only used the grassy portion and was nointerference to the faster vehicles.
He showed no identification, said he had no job and claimed to not have a social security number-laughing and uttering some non-sense that it was the 'mark of the beast'. He was cooperative at that time so I let him go with a highway warning and a charge of vagrancy. It's a trend with these types of people: We find that they start in minor trouble like traffic incidents and graduate to more acts of civil disobedience. Eventually they cross-over and break one of the many many laws of and for government. Still, I can't understand why he became uncooperative to the point that we had to use non-lethal force-after all we're just doing the job of the 'consent of the governed'. Don't these people understand that they must submit to authority that is in their best interests?"
Also being held for questioning are three foreigners who incredibly allege to be "wise men" from an eastern country. The INS and Homeland Security officials are seeking information about these who may be in the country illegally. A source with the INS states that they had no passports, but were in possession of gold and other possibly illegal substances. They resisted arrest saying that they had been warned by God to avoid officials in Jerusalem and to return quickly to their own country. The chemical substances in their possession will be tested. An officer at the scene said the suspicious enclosures for the chemical substances might constitute "drug paraphernalia". The agent for Homeland Security stated that he contacted the IRS under the suspicion that this gold might be linked to a foreign trust method of "under-reporting income".
An agent commented: "The presence of paraphernalia, chemical substances, gold, and foreign people without passports is certainly suspicious. Terrorists are known to fund terrorism activities through illegal drug trading. Or these could be part of an illegal-alien smuggling ring from Mexico. In either case the claim that these three are Kings is unsubstantiated as they are not diplomats registered with the Department of State."
The owner of the barn is also being held for questioning. The manager of Bethlehem Inn faces possible revocation of his license for violating health and safety regulations by allowing people to stay in the stable. Civil authorities are also investigating the zoning violations involved in maintaining livestock in a commercially-zoned district. The owner of the barn claimed he provided the lodging free hence the guests did not need to register.
He was noted to exclaim, "For heaven's sake, its Jesus! Can't we forego government intrusion into our lives for the Christ-child celebration?" Authorities were not amused and demanded his identification and his Inn lodging and restaurant board-of-health certification.
The location of the minor child will not be released, and the prospect for a quick resolution to this case is doubtful. Asked about when Jesus would be returned to his mother, a Child Protective Service spokesperson said, "The father is middle-aged and the mother definitely underage. This is suspicious behavior worthy of investigation." When asked who these people were and where they were from, the spokesman replied: "Both parents refuse to provide identification. Both claim no social security number and provided no marriage license.
The father claims a license from heaven as a common-law right. They have no birth certificate for the baby Jesus. In this sense they are deemed uncooperative by us and are probably members of some anti-government common-law movement group. I simply can't imagine why parents would not want to register the birth and citizenship of a baby such as Jesus!
In America everybody does this--it's for the welfare of the child. Why would they not want to register that baby Jesus as a UNITED STATES CITIZEN and hence leave his real citizenship in question? If they are not hiding something, what do they have to fear?
I tried to reason with the father. I asked the father the question as to why he never applied for baby Jesus' social security number explaining that Jesus could have earning's credit's and receive retirement benefits. The father uttered total non-sense about 'rendering unto Caesar', more religious 'mark-of-the-beast' dogma, and retirement in God's kingdom.
Frankly I'm flabbergasted by these types of people. It's a trend we wish to stop. They never volunteer and this we view as uncooperative behavior. They never apply for social security numbers, they never register the birth of their children, they refuse to register to vote for our two parties, they don't show us identification when we ask 'for their papers" kindly, they refuse to send their children to public education under a homeschool banner, they claim adherence to God's law and not man's, they claim government harassment as the reason they must be transients, and they protest filling-out voluntary-compliance government forms. Frankly, these types of anti-government people are always uncooperative. We are checking with officials in Nazareth to determine what the legal relationship is between father, mother and baby."
Joseph has admitted taking Mary from her home in Nazareth because of a census requirement. However, because she was obviously pregnant when they left, investigators are looking into other reasons for their departure. Joseph is being held without bond on charges of molestation, kidnapping, child endangerment, and statutory rape.
The local prosecutor had this to say: "I feel confident that this man is either suffering from a psychological problem or is hiding his uncooperative, anti-social and anti-government viewpoints under the disguise of religious dogma. Everybody is entitled to a viewpoint but the defining line is statutory criminal activity and possible terrorist threats. We will weigh the evidence collected and then decide the extent of the charges and whether to prosecute."
A spokesman for the court said this: "We always consider the welfare of people first. If this case is brought to trial we will judge it on the basis of social welfare for the child and criminal activity in violation of law for government. If brought to trial they will be allowed court-determined due process before a jury of their peers to present factual evidence on their behalf. Rest assured, they will NOT be permitted to express their view of the law to the jury-even though they claim to operate under God's law and not man's. This could 'unduly influence' the jury.
They will be appointed an attorney free of charge as attorneys are always for incompetents only. Rest assured that even though our incarceration rate is the highest in the world, the People still claim our courts and judges are the fairest in the world. We respect their religious viewpoints however, they will be judged and prosecuted to the full extent of our government statutory law and we will not allow their religious viewpoints to interfere with our government statutory law in the administration of our justice."
Mary was taken to the Bethlehem General Hospital where she is being examined by doctors. Charges may also be filed against her for endangerment. She will also undergo psychiatric evaluation because of her claim that she is a virgin and that the child is from God.
The director of the psychiatric wing said, "I don't profess to have the right to tell people what to believe, but when their beliefs adversely affect the safety and well-being of others - in this case her child - we must consider her a danger to others. The unidentified drugs at the scene didn't help her case, but I'm confidant that with the proper therapy regimen we can get her back on her feet."
A spokesperson for the governor's office said, "Who knows what was going through their heads? But regardless, their treatment of the child was inexcusable, and the involvement of these others frightening. There is much we don't know about this case, but for the sake of the child and the public, you can be assured that we will pursue this matter to the end."
What Would Happen If Jesus Were Born In U.S. Today?
Infant Discovered In Barn, Child Protective Services Launch Probe
Nazareth Carpenter Being Held On Charges Involving Underage Mother
12/14/06 --"Information Clearing House" - Bethlehem, Judea - Authorities were today alerted by a concerned citizen who noticed a family living in a barn. Upon arrival, Family Protective Service personnel, accompanied by police, took into protective care an infant child named Jesus, who had been wrapped in strips of cloth and placed in a feeding trough by his 14-year old mother, Mary of Nazareth.
During the confrontation, a man identified as Joseph, also of Nazareth, attempted to stop the social workers. Joseph, aided by several local shepherds and some unidentified foreigners, tried to forestall efforts to take the child, but were restrained by the police.
At one point Joseph became confrontational and delusional claiming the child was "God's child". An officer, who used a Tazer device on Joseph, stated,"The man became uncooperative. We feared for his own safety and that of the child so we used a non-lethal weapon and restrained him in handcuffs. This was the same man I detained earlier for attempting to take a donkey on a public highway. At that time he incredibly claimed a 'common right to his conveyance of choice on a public highway' explaining that his donkey only used the grassy portion and was nointerference to the faster vehicles.
He showed no identification, said he had no job and claimed to not have a social security number-laughing and uttering some non-sense that it was the 'mark of the beast'. He was cooperative at that time so I let him go with a highway warning and a charge of vagrancy. It's a trend with these types of people: We find that they start in minor trouble like traffic incidents and graduate to more acts of civil disobedience. Eventually they cross-over and break one of the many many laws of and for government. Still, I can't understand why he became uncooperative to the point that we had to use non-lethal force-after all we're just doing the job of the 'consent of the governed'. Don't these people understand that they must submit to authority that is in their best interests?"
Also being held for questioning are three foreigners who incredibly allege to be "wise men" from an eastern country. The INS and Homeland Security officials are seeking information about these who may be in the country illegally. A source with the INS states that they had no passports, but were in possession of gold and other possibly illegal substances. They resisted arrest saying that they had been warned by God to avoid officials in Jerusalem and to return quickly to their own country. The chemical substances in their possession will be tested. An officer at the scene said the suspicious enclosures for the chemical substances might constitute "drug paraphernalia". The agent for Homeland Security stated that he contacted the IRS under the suspicion that this gold might be linked to a foreign trust method of "under-reporting income".
An agent commented: "The presence of paraphernalia, chemical substances, gold, and foreign people without passports is certainly suspicious. Terrorists are known to fund terrorism activities through illegal drug trading. Or these could be part of an illegal-alien smuggling ring from Mexico. In either case the claim that these three are Kings is unsubstantiated as they are not diplomats registered with the Department of State."
The owner of the barn is also being held for questioning. The manager of Bethlehem Inn faces possible revocation of his license for violating health and safety regulations by allowing people to stay in the stable. Civil authorities are also investigating the zoning violations involved in maintaining livestock in a commercially-zoned district. The owner of the barn claimed he provided the lodging free hence the guests did not need to register.
He was noted to exclaim, "For heaven's sake, its Jesus! Can't we forego government intrusion into our lives for the Christ-child celebration?" Authorities were not amused and demanded his identification and his Inn lodging and restaurant board-of-health certification.
The location of the minor child will not be released, and the prospect for a quick resolution to this case is doubtful. Asked about when Jesus would be returned to his mother, a Child Protective Service spokesperson said, "The father is middle-aged and the mother definitely underage. This is suspicious behavior worthy of investigation." When asked who these people were and where they were from, the spokesman replied: "Both parents refuse to provide identification. Both claim no social security number and provided no marriage license.
The father claims a license from heaven as a common-law right. They have no birth certificate for the baby Jesus. In this sense they are deemed uncooperative by us and are probably members of some anti-government common-law movement group. I simply can't imagine why parents would not want to register the birth and citizenship of a baby such as Jesus!
In America everybody does this--it's for the welfare of the child. Why would they not want to register that baby Jesus as a UNITED STATES CITIZEN and hence leave his real citizenship in question? If they are not hiding something, what do they have to fear?
I tried to reason with the father. I asked the father the question as to why he never applied for baby Jesus' social security number explaining that Jesus could have earning's credit's and receive retirement benefits. The father uttered total non-sense about 'rendering unto Caesar', more religious 'mark-of-the-beast' dogma, and retirement in God's kingdom.
Frankly I'm flabbergasted by these types of people. It's a trend we wish to stop. They never volunteer and this we view as uncooperative behavior. They never apply for social security numbers, they never register the birth of their children, they refuse to register to vote for our two parties, they don't show us identification when we ask 'for their papers" kindly, they refuse to send their children to public education under a homeschool banner, they claim adherence to God's law and not man's, they claim government harassment as the reason they must be transients, and they protest filling-out voluntary-compliance government forms. Frankly, these types of anti-government people are always uncooperative. We are checking with officials in Nazareth to determine what the legal relationship is between father, mother and baby."
Joseph has admitted taking Mary from her home in Nazareth because of a census requirement. However, because she was obviously pregnant when they left, investigators are looking into other reasons for their departure. Joseph is being held without bond on charges of molestation, kidnapping, child endangerment, and statutory rape.
The local prosecutor had this to say: "I feel confident that this man is either suffering from a psychological problem or is hiding his uncooperative, anti-social and anti-government viewpoints under the disguise of religious dogma. Everybody is entitled to a viewpoint but the defining line is statutory criminal activity and possible terrorist threats. We will weigh the evidence collected and then decide the extent of the charges and whether to prosecute."
A spokesman for the court said this: "We always consider the welfare of people first. If this case is brought to trial we will judge it on the basis of social welfare for the child and criminal activity in violation of law for government. If brought to trial they will be allowed court-determined due process before a jury of their peers to present factual evidence on their behalf. Rest assured, they will NOT be permitted to express their view of the law to the jury-even though they claim to operate under God's law and not man's. This could 'unduly influence' the jury.
They will be appointed an attorney free of charge as attorneys are always for incompetents only. Rest assured that even though our incarceration rate is the highest in the world, the People still claim our courts and judges are the fairest in the world. We respect their religious viewpoints however, they will be judged and prosecuted to the full extent of our government statutory law and we will not allow their religious viewpoints to interfere with our government statutory law in the administration of our justice."
Mary was taken to the Bethlehem General Hospital where she is being examined by doctors. Charges may also be filed against her for endangerment. She will also undergo psychiatric evaluation because of her claim that she is a virgin and that the child is from God.
The director of the psychiatric wing said, "I don't profess to have the right to tell people what to believe, but when their beliefs adversely affect the safety and well-being of others - in this case her child - we must consider her a danger to others. The unidentified drugs at the scene didn't help her case, but I'm confidant that with the proper therapy regimen we can get her back on her feet."
A spokesperson for the governor's office said, "Who knows what was going through their heads? But regardless, their treatment of the child was inexcusable, and the involvement of these others frightening. There is much we don't know about this case, but for the sake of the child and the public, you can be assured that we will pursue this matter to the end."
Christmas Story - "If Mary Had Really Loved Her Baby" by Laurie Frisch
Christmas Story - "If Mary Had Really Loved Her Baby" by Laurie Frisch
Adoption does not end at the time a baby is adopted. The effects of separation on family members last a lifetime. I have re-written the Christmas story to show what might have happened if an adoption agency and "open" adoption had been around when Mary was pregnant.
I'll start after Mary was approached and asked to be the Mother of God. After she agrees to it.
Mary discovers that she is indeed pregnant and tells her parents. They are very angry and especially angry that she has lied to them about the baby's father - and it's such an obvious lie! It makes them furious that she shows no remorse and indeed seems to enjoy being pregnant. She wants to talk about her baby and seems proud. Her brothers and sisters roll their eyes. They are all embarrassed.
Mary is concerned about her child. She is betrothed, but Joseph seems uncertain about the baby and does not seem to totally trust her story. He is really a great guy and decides to stick by her anyway. Still, Mary is concerned about how her family and her future husband will treat her child. Some have treated her very badly and even the best of them have not offered to help much. In private, her mother yells constantly, telling her to quit lying about it and calling Mary a slut. She demands to know who the baby's father is and threatens to kill him. In public, her mother pretends to be supportive.
Mary is rather young. She does not know what to say to her mother in response to her ranting and raving. She imagines the things her mother might say to her child later.
Mary goes to her church counseling services to discuss things.
Mary's mother goes along, to give the appearance of being supportive. She really does want to be supportive, but she's afraid that if she says anything that sounds supportive, it may make it difficult for her daughter, who seems willing to do anything in the interest of her child.
Her mother asks the social worker if it isn't a very traumatic thing for a mother to give away a child. The social worker tells her it is a loving thing to do and that the girls who give their babies away give them away because they come from loving homes and they want their child to be loved also. Mary's mother tells Mary this.
Mary does not react, although it's obvious to both of them that the way Mary is being treated is not what you would call loving. So far, everything she's told her mother has tripped off a bomb and she doesn't want to trip off another one by stating the obvious. And it's true – Mary does want her baby to be loved. She would do anything for her baby if she thought it was the right thing, no matter what the consequences to her. "If you really love him, you'll give him up," the social worker insists.
Joseph does not know what to say. He has decided to marry Mary anyway, but he thinks it should be her decision what to do with her baby. He does not tell her what he is really thinking - that he would actually like to keep the baby - although he is very affectionate toward Mary. He wants to do what is best for her.
Mary gets to select the people who will raise her child and even gets to meet them. They seem like such wonderful people, she's sure they will love her child. They promise to send a picture of him and a letter every year, through the agency.
It is census time and Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem. They get in late and can't find a hotel. Luckily, someone offers them a spot in a barn, which is at least out of the wind and the animals' body heat will help warm the place. They are both very thankful for a place to rest, for the baby is on it's way.
When the child is born, Mary asks Joseph to tell the church social worker. She holds her baby, but is afraid to spend too much time with him. He is a beautiful child. He is God's child, even though other people can't see it, she knows it's true. Because she is totally crazy about the baby, she would have wanted to do the right thing anyway, but she especially wants to do exactly the right thing for God's child. She signs papers and they take the baby.
Her expression is one of anguish. She can't stop crying. Joseph holds her. A shepherd comes by and he says "What are you crying for? You are the one who signed the papers. You didn't want your child." Mary is amazed. How could anyone think she didn't want her precious baby? She can still remember how his little hands were positioned, clasping each other, and the slight fuzz on his back, which was still hunched over from being inside her.
The wise men follow the signs in the sky that direct them to the Savior, right to the house where he is. They bring gifts and celebrate. The baby is distracted, but when they all go away he tries to find his mother – her voice, her smell. She is nowhere to be found. He really squalls and the woman tries to comfort him. She wonders if all babies are like this, but she does not know. She thinks of his mother and feels rather guilty about taking her child.
Some days she wonders. As he grows, he doesn't want to get near her and doesn't seem to trust her, although she always treats him lovingly. He doesn't have a problem getting close to her husband, only to her. He is better when they are around people. He is not afraid she will abandon him in front of people. At night he cries for his mother and when she appears by his little bed, he says he wants his other mother. She was not really prepared for this.
She tells him about his mother and how much she loved him. He is somewhat comforted, but still he often feels that is impossible. How could his mother love him and yet give him away? He feels there is something wrong with him. Maybe his skin is too dark. His mother must hate him. He tries to be perfect, so these people won't abandon him, too.
Meanwhile, Mary and Joseph return home. They eventually have other children and whenever she is pregnant Mary cries, thinking of her first, the one God entrusted to her. She is sure she did the right thing. When the little ones grow and take their first steps, Mary thinks of her other child. Mary thinks of her first child so much that for a while, she neglects the children she has. Eventually she forces herself not to think about it, but at times she just can't help it. She cries and cries and does not sleep, sometimes for days in a row. She's amazed at how well she can function through it all, but she has responsibilities. She hides her pain from Joseph and he is afraid to ask about it.
Many days she has an incredible struggle to get up and get going, but she does it anyway.
The people who adopted her son send Mary a picture and a letter every year to tell her how he is doing. Eventually, they become afraid she might figure out who he is and steal him and they send some very outdated pictures to throw her off. They are afraid to say much in their letters. They don't want to say how well the child is doing and how very much they enjoy having him around, because that might make her feel bad. They can't tell her if anything goes wrong, because then she will definitely come looking for him and want him back. But they feel good that they have done their duty and written a few words. They really do care. The agreement to send pictures and letters is not binding and they know another couple who adopted a child, but never sent a single picture or letter.
They named their baby Samuel and they make sure that he has had all the advantages. Among other things, they feel they owe it to the mother who gave him to them.
When Mary goes home to her parent's house, her mother always mentions her first child and says "We should have kept him. I would have helped you." Mary is traumatized all over again when she hears this. Is her mother trying to torture her? Doesn't she know she should have offered help before the baby was gone? Mary never reacts much – she doesn’t understand why her mother is telling her this. She especially doesn't want her mother to feel guilty – it's obvious her mother feels guilty enough already.
Her other children express an interest in their older brother. They want to meet him and can't understand where he is. Mary has a few pictures of him. They gather around to see. They ask what his name is and Mary says "I named him Jesus." They are satisfied with that name and anyway Mary does not know whether he still has it or not. However, they hate it that they can't contact him and one of the girls cries unconsolably every year because they can't invite her brother Jesus to her birthday party. It's heartwrenching.
When Samuel gets older, he is hard to control. He wants to please the people who adopted him, but he feels he has a mission. He preaches God's word and tells people not to look so much at the letter of the law, but to focus on loving one another.
He has difficulty with that himself, though. When he meets lepers, he is unfamiliar with them and repulsed. He tries to talk, but finds it uncomfortable. He heals some of them, but is too grossed out to touch them. The people who adopted him are wealthy and don't understand why he would want to go anywhere near all these outcasts and indigents and they certainly don't want them in their house. When he meets Mary Magdelene his first reaction is to want to jeer or spit on her, but he controls himself and manages to say some kind words. He does not linger.
Fortunately, he has lots of money for his campaign and garners a lot of support for God's word. He preaches kindness and forgiveness. He tells people that he is the Son of God. Some people laugh, but others are angered by his arrogance. The couple tell him they will disown him if he doesn't stop – it is damaging the their insurance business. They wanted a baby so badly and they try to love him but he is obviously mentally deranged – it must be genetic.
Eventually, he is arrested and sentenced to be crucified. As the nails are pounded into his wrists, he forgives his sentencers and he also forgives his mother, whom he has been so, so angry with. He doesn't understand the anger. He just can't help it. He knows she must have loved him, but it seems impossible and he doesn't feel loved. At one point he wrote to a friend and called his mother "the egg donor" and signed his name "Sam Bastard" in an effort to explain his feelings. He has never told his adopters how he felt. He didn't want to hurt their feelings.
Mary does not know who her son is, but when she sees him on the cross in agony, she sees herself in him. She arrives shortly before he heaves his last breath and when he does, she can no longer breathe, either. They are both put into tombs.
On the third day, Samuel rises up. Amazingly, Mary rises up out of her tomb as well and even rolls back the stone in front of it. She is used to managing things and keeping going, even when it seems impossible.
As they are standing there before an amazed crowd, God takes Samuel up into heaven, saying "This is my Son in Whom I am well pleased." Mary begs to be taken as well. God looks at her and says "My Son has sacrificed himself for the good of mankind. What did you do?" She answers, "I have sacrificed myself for your Son."
He becomes angry and says, "What do you mean? I entrusted my Son to you and chose you specifically to be his mother and you gave him away. I wasn't even sure he would be able to carry out his mission. He was barely able to relate to the poor and he bought those ridiculously expensive jeans in an attempt to fit in with the farmers, a move that totally backfired. It's a wonder his message got through to anyone. If He had not succeeded in raising up Lazarus from the dead, I'm afraid it would have been all over for him."
Mary was distraught. "I gave him away because I loved him", she said. "I was trying to do the right thing and I suffered so much as a result. No one provided help and they said it was the right thing to do."
God just kept saying, "I chose you, Mary. I chose you. You would have been the perfect mother to raise my Son."
Mary was heartbroken. She tried to focus on enjoying her remaining children and Joseph's silly jokes. She also advised the adoption agency and her family about things had been for her – how unnecessary it all seemed now in retrospect and how much pain it had caused. She wanted them to know so they could help others better in the future.
For a time, her family and the people at the agency said to her "You were the one who signed the papers. It was your choice. Get over it." Eventually, they took credit for their role in it. The social services became honest with people about the extreme damage done by separating families. They stopped encouraging people to "shame" (terrorize) single mothers-to-be. They stopped taking healthy babies from naive families at birth and providing them to infertile people, pretending it was the infertile who were "blessed by God". They found other ways to help people that left them feeling good about themselves and their families.
Adoption does not end at the time a baby is adopted. The effects of separation on family members last a lifetime. I have re-written the Christmas story to show what might have happened if an adoption agency and "open" adoption had been around when Mary was pregnant.
I'll start after Mary was approached and asked to be the Mother of God. After she agrees to it.
Mary discovers that she is indeed pregnant and tells her parents. They are very angry and especially angry that she has lied to them about the baby's father - and it's such an obvious lie! It makes them furious that she shows no remorse and indeed seems to enjoy being pregnant. She wants to talk about her baby and seems proud. Her brothers and sisters roll their eyes. They are all embarrassed.
Mary is concerned about her child. She is betrothed, but Joseph seems uncertain about the baby and does not seem to totally trust her story. He is really a great guy and decides to stick by her anyway. Still, Mary is concerned about how her family and her future husband will treat her child. Some have treated her very badly and even the best of them have not offered to help much. In private, her mother yells constantly, telling her to quit lying about it and calling Mary a slut. She demands to know who the baby's father is and threatens to kill him. In public, her mother pretends to be supportive.
Mary is rather young. She does not know what to say to her mother in response to her ranting and raving. She imagines the things her mother might say to her child later.
Mary goes to her church counseling services to discuss things.
Mary's mother goes along, to give the appearance of being supportive. She really does want to be supportive, but she's afraid that if she says anything that sounds supportive, it may make it difficult for her daughter, who seems willing to do anything in the interest of her child.
Her mother asks the social worker if it isn't a very traumatic thing for a mother to give away a child. The social worker tells her it is a loving thing to do and that the girls who give their babies away give them away because they come from loving homes and they want their child to be loved also. Mary's mother tells Mary this.
Mary does not react, although it's obvious to both of them that the way Mary is being treated is not what you would call loving. So far, everything she's told her mother has tripped off a bomb and she doesn't want to trip off another one by stating the obvious. And it's true – Mary does want her baby to be loved. She would do anything for her baby if she thought it was the right thing, no matter what the consequences to her. "If you really love him, you'll give him up," the social worker insists.
Joseph does not know what to say. He has decided to marry Mary anyway, but he thinks it should be her decision what to do with her baby. He does not tell her what he is really thinking - that he would actually like to keep the baby - although he is very affectionate toward Mary. He wants to do what is best for her.
Mary gets to select the people who will raise her child and even gets to meet them. They seem like such wonderful people, she's sure they will love her child. They promise to send a picture of him and a letter every year, through the agency.
It is census time and Mary and Joseph go to Bethlehem. They get in late and can't find a hotel. Luckily, someone offers them a spot in a barn, which is at least out of the wind and the animals' body heat will help warm the place. They are both very thankful for a place to rest, for the baby is on it's way.
When the child is born, Mary asks Joseph to tell the church social worker. She holds her baby, but is afraid to spend too much time with him. He is a beautiful child. He is God's child, even though other people can't see it, she knows it's true. Because she is totally crazy about the baby, she would have wanted to do the right thing anyway, but she especially wants to do exactly the right thing for God's child. She signs papers and they take the baby.
Her expression is one of anguish. She can't stop crying. Joseph holds her. A shepherd comes by and he says "What are you crying for? You are the one who signed the papers. You didn't want your child." Mary is amazed. How could anyone think she didn't want her precious baby? She can still remember how his little hands were positioned, clasping each other, and the slight fuzz on his back, which was still hunched over from being inside her.
The wise men follow the signs in the sky that direct them to the Savior, right to the house where he is. They bring gifts and celebrate. The baby is distracted, but when they all go away he tries to find his mother – her voice, her smell. She is nowhere to be found. He really squalls and the woman tries to comfort him. She wonders if all babies are like this, but she does not know. She thinks of his mother and feels rather guilty about taking her child.
Some days she wonders. As he grows, he doesn't want to get near her and doesn't seem to trust her, although she always treats him lovingly. He doesn't have a problem getting close to her husband, only to her. He is better when they are around people. He is not afraid she will abandon him in front of people. At night he cries for his mother and when she appears by his little bed, he says he wants his other mother. She was not really prepared for this.
She tells him about his mother and how much she loved him. He is somewhat comforted, but still he often feels that is impossible. How could his mother love him and yet give him away? He feels there is something wrong with him. Maybe his skin is too dark. His mother must hate him. He tries to be perfect, so these people won't abandon him, too.
Meanwhile, Mary and Joseph return home. They eventually have other children and whenever she is pregnant Mary cries, thinking of her first, the one God entrusted to her. She is sure she did the right thing. When the little ones grow and take their first steps, Mary thinks of her other child. Mary thinks of her first child so much that for a while, she neglects the children she has. Eventually she forces herself not to think about it, but at times she just can't help it. She cries and cries and does not sleep, sometimes for days in a row. She's amazed at how well she can function through it all, but she has responsibilities. She hides her pain from Joseph and he is afraid to ask about it.
Many days she has an incredible struggle to get up and get going, but she does it anyway.
The people who adopted her son send Mary a picture and a letter every year to tell her how he is doing. Eventually, they become afraid she might figure out who he is and steal him and they send some very outdated pictures to throw her off. They are afraid to say much in their letters. They don't want to say how well the child is doing and how very much they enjoy having him around, because that might make her feel bad. They can't tell her if anything goes wrong, because then she will definitely come looking for him and want him back. But they feel good that they have done their duty and written a few words. They really do care. The agreement to send pictures and letters is not binding and they know another couple who adopted a child, but never sent a single picture or letter.
They named their baby Samuel and they make sure that he has had all the advantages. Among other things, they feel they owe it to the mother who gave him to them.
When Mary goes home to her parent's house, her mother always mentions her first child and says "We should have kept him. I would have helped you." Mary is traumatized all over again when she hears this. Is her mother trying to torture her? Doesn't she know she should have offered help before the baby was gone? Mary never reacts much – she doesn’t understand why her mother is telling her this. She especially doesn't want her mother to feel guilty – it's obvious her mother feels guilty enough already.
Her other children express an interest in their older brother. They want to meet him and can't understand where he is. Mary has a few pictures of him. They gather around to see. They ask what his name is and Mary says "I named him Jesus." They are satisfied with that name and anyway Mary does not know whether he still has it or not. However, they hate it that they can't contact him and one of the girls cries unconsolably every year because they can't invite her brother Jesus to her birthday party. It's heartwrenching.
When Samuel gets older, he is hard to control. He wants to please the people who adopted him, but he feels he has a mission. He preaches God's word and tells people not to look so much at the letter of the law, but to focus on loving one another.
He has difficulty with that himself, though. When he meets lepers, he is unfamiliar with them and repulsed. He tries to talk, but finds it uncomfortable. He heals some of them, but is too grossed out to touch them. The people who adopted him are wealthy and don't understand why he would want to go anywhere near all these outcasts and indigents and they certainly don't want them in their house. When he meets Mary Magdelene his first reaction is to want to jeer or spit on her, but he controls himself and manages to say some kind words. He does not linger.
Fortunately, he has lots of money for his campaign and garners a lot of support for God's word. He preaches kindness and forgiveness. He tells people that he is the Son of God. Some people laugh, but others are angered by his arrogance. The couple tell him they will disown him if he doesn't stop – it is damaging the their insurance business. They wanted a baby so badly and they try to love him but he is obviously mentally deranged – it must be genetic.
Eventually, he is arrested and sentenced to be crucified. As the nails are pounded into his wrists, he forgives his sentencers and he also forgives his mother, whom he has been so, so angry with. He doesn't understand the anger. He just can't help it. He knows she must have loved him, but it seems impossible and he doesn't feel loved. At one point he wrote to a friend and called his mother "the egg donor" and signed his name "Sam Bastard" in an effort to explain his feelings. He has never told his adopters how he felt. He didn't want to hurt their feelings.
Mary does not know who her son is, but when she sees him on the cross in agony, she sees herself in him. She arrives shortly before he heaves his last breath and when he does, she can no longer breathe, either. They are both put into tombs.
On the third day, Samuel rises up. Amazingly, Mary rises up out of her tomb as well and even rolls back the stone in front of it. She is used to managing things and keeping going, even when it seems impossible.
As they are standing there before an amazed crowd, God takes Samuel up into heaven, saying "This is my Son in Whom I am well pleased." Mary begs to be taken as well. God looks at her and says "My Son has sacrificed himself for the good of mankind. What did you do?" She answers, "I have sacrificed myself for your Son."
He becomes angry and says, "What do you mean? I entrusted my Son to you and chose you specifically to be his mother and you gave him away. I wasn't even sure he would be able to carry out his mission. He was barely able to relate to the poor and he bought those ridiculously expensive jeans in an attempt to fit in with the farmers, a move that totally backfired. It's a wonder his message got through to anyone. If He had not succeeded in raising up Lazarus from the dead, I'm afraid it would have been all over for him."
Mary was distraught. "I gave him away because I loved him", she said. "I was trying to do the right thing and I suffered so much as a result. No one provided help and they said it was the right thing to do."
God just kept saying, "I chose you, Mary. I chose you. You would have been the perfect mother to raise my Son."
Mary was heartbroken. She tried to focus on enjoying her remaining children and Joseph's silly jokes. She also advised the adoption agency and her family about things had been for her – how unnecessary it all seemed now in retrospect and how much pain it had caused. She wanted them to know so they could help others better in the future.
For a time, her family and the people at the agency said to her "You were the one who signed the papers. It was your choice. Get over it." Eventually, they took credit for their role in it. The social services became honest with people about the extreme damage done by separating families. They stopped encouraging people to "shame" (terrorize) single mothers-to-be. They stopped taking healthy babies from naive families at birth and providing them to infertile people, pretending it was the infertile who were "blessed by God". They found other ways to help people that left them feeling good about themselves and their families.
The Costs of Child Protection in the Context of Welfare Reform. | NCCIC
The Costs of Child Protection in the Context of Welfare Reform. | NCCIC: "Summary: Summarizes the status of public funding for child protection, contrasts expenditures for foster care versus family services, and traces the links between public assistance and child protection policies. The possibility that the 1996 federal welfare reform law may increase the need for child welfare services and drive up costs of child protection is explored."
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)