MOMS SERVING MOMS
A DOWNTOWN MOMS GROUP STORY
This fall, our Downtown Moms Group locked arms with the Pregnancy Care Centre and welcomed a young, pregnant mom into our community and weekly meetings. When we first met this mom, she was about two months away from her due date, anxious, and a long ways away from family and friends (she came from India to complete a degree here). We had the privilege of connecting with this mom and getting to know her excitement, worries, needs, and prayer requests. Early on, she shared with us that she had not told her parents about her pregnancy and was really worried about whether they were going to accept her son and her partner since they conceived the baby out of wedlock. As you can imagine, being in a different country, without your mom, friends and family, and having an unplanned, first baby during a pandemic is a lot to take on. She asked us questions about preparing for the baby’s arrival, about our birth experiences, about nursing, about where to find certain baby items, etc. and many moms in our group reached out to her individually to ensure that she felt encouraged, prepared, and had everything she needed for the baby’s arrival. The moms in our group did an amazing job offering wisdom, shared experience, encouragement, prayer and resources to her. Many other church members also contributed to this mom’s care by providing meals to her via a meal train, groceries, formula, and diapers. Because of the pandemic, most of us never had a chance to meet this mom in person, but that did not mean we did not get to know her. Almost all of our communication was through WhatsApp or a phone call, and yet that was enough to get to know this mom and encourage her/pray for her, to get her address so we could deliver food, clothing, and supplies to her, and to get a glimpse of what this pandemic is like for those who do not know Christ and are not part of the church family. This mom is doing well and is madly in love with her sweet baby boy. Their family has now returned to India to be close to her and her partner’s family, which have come to accept and love their new baby.
Priya, one of our Grace moms, shared why she initially reached out to this mom and how their relationship developed: “It was great to get to know this mom, even if it was just over text. I wanted to reach out to her for a few different reasons, including that her cultural background was similar to mine and that she was young and not in an ideal situation. Being an Indian woman and having a child outside of marriage would be very, very difficult, and in a lot of situations the parents are extremely unhappy and unsupportive. I wanted to talk to her about how she was feeling about this. When she first told her parents, they did not speak to her for a few days, and she was quite upset. I tried to encourage her to give them a little bit of time. Today I spoke with her and she said she is going to see her parents tomorrow and is very excited. She is currently with her partner’s parents and, so far, everyone has been supportive of them. Regardless of how much support you have, as we all know, having a child is life changing and also very difficult, no matter how prepared you think you are. I have no immediate family here and even though my parents came to help me after both my kids were born, being on my own most of the time with them while my husband worked was very hard. This is why I am always happy to support new moms in any way I can. I’m glad that this mom is back with her family and she seems happy; she has them to help and guide her through this process and doesn’t feel alone, which is great!”
Similarly, Rosanna (also from Grace) writes: “One thing that stuck out to me from this mom’s introduction was that she had no family in Toronto while she prepared for the baby’s arrival. As a non-Canadian myself, this church and moms group has become family to me in the past three years. I wanted to ensure she felt welcome and supported. She needed a safe place for her newborn to sleep, and I had a spare mini crib to give her, which started our relationship. From here on, I would check-in with her via text occasionally and try to encourage her as she navigated the overwhelming reality of becoming a new parent.”
I think all Christians know it is their calling to step into the lives of vulnerable people and help where they can, but it is easy to forget that these vulnerable people were also created in the image and likeness of God with unique resemblance to Him, thus they too have something beautiful to offer us as well. Rosanna identified this in her relationship with this mom and was reminded of God’s work in the life of His people: “I admired this mother’s always respectful boldness in asking for the things she needed (an area of my life I struggle with). Because she asked for help, I got to again see the strength and power of a collective community — moms (and couples) all over the GTA took time to sift through unneeded items in their homes and/or used their finances to buy diapers, wipes, formula, and food for this family while caring for their own kiddos and other obligations in the middle of a pandemic. Also, through her story, I witnessed reconciliation of the most beautiful kind. She has recently shared with me that she has safely arrived in India and her family is taking great care of her baby boy. She is relieved and my heart is so glad. It reminds me of how in Jesus we are accepted just as we are — sinners saved by a radical grace — welcomed home again with no reservations.”
When our moms group decided to include this mom in our community, I (Serena) stepped in to be a main contact person for this new relationship and to ensure this mom was cared for. If you know me, you know this is an area of the Christian pilgrimage I am passionate about, but I certainly don’t find it easy to step into these spaces of responsibility. While I knew that God cares about this mom and is with her, providing what she needs, I feared I would not have enough time, energy and resources to be a ‘good’ vessel for God’s use in this mom’s life. When God puts the opportunity to help someone in my path, I find it easy to fall into the thinking that the full weight of their burdens and choices are mine to bear — as if it is my duty to solve all their problems for them and remove the consequences of their decisions. In order to say yes to God and these opportunities, I have to take these lies before God and Scripture constantly in order to think rightly about the situation, serve wisely and love boldly — looking for opportunities to introduce Christ, the true Saviour. Connecting with this mom, provided me with the chance to see God at work in her life and the lives of other members at our church. I did not end up sharing the Gospel in full with her while she was here, but I did get the opportunity to pray with, and for, her over the phone when she really needed someone. I was also given the opportunity to give more than I felt I was able to ensure this mom and baby had the food they needed to thrive and heal. God is our great provider. Everything we have (or earned) is His and we are His and they (those we serve) are His. I learned this in a new way over the Christmas season. I am thankful for the connections our church has to vulnerable people in our city and for our church's encouragement and support to reach out to them.
AFFILIATE AND COMMUNITY NEEDS
Find ways to love our neighbours in partnership with our affiliates and other organizations serving the community.
SERVING - FOR INDIVIDUALS
Safe Families
- Sign-up to become a “Family Friend” to a segregated family in our city.
- Family Friends provide: love to parent(s) through encouragement; security and peace to parent(s) because they know someone sees them and cares about their well-being; knowledge and information they may not have; access to our extended church network; a shared desire for the security and well-being of their children; the Gospel hope of Jesus Christ; and possibly other tangible or service-based needs according to your comfort level and time.
- If you are interested, please contact Serena (here) for next steps.
SERVING - FOR GRACE GATHERINGS
Safe Families
- Together, sign-up to become “Family Friends” to a segregated family in our city.
- Family Friends provide: love to the parent(s) through encouragement; security and peace to the parent(s) because they know someone sees them and cares about their well-being; knowledge and information they may not have; access to our extended church network; a shared desire for the security and well-being of their children; the Gospel hope of Jesus Christ; and possibly other tangible or service-based needs according to your comfort level and time.
- Interested members of your GG will attend a virtual information session, fill out an application, and complete the online training required by Safe Families. For more information, contact Serena (here).
TANGIBLE NEEDS
Adam House
- Winter boots needed for two new residents. See donation details (link).
Safe Families
- Needed items: a small/mini freezer for a single mom, and a larger deep freezer for a food bank ministry run by one of the moms we have helped in the past.
The Dale Ministries
- Needed items: PPE, hand sanitizer, hygiene supplies, food, grocery cards, sleeping bags, blankets, and winter gear.
Yonge Street Mission
- Non-perishable food needed: dried chickpeas, beans, and lentils; peanut butter; pasta; tomato sauce; Kraft Dinner; pre-packaged cheese pasta; rice; breakfast cereal; gluten-free pasta and cereal; cooking oil (canola, olive, and other vegetable oils); canned tuna and salmon; tea and coffee; powdered milk; jars of jam and honey; energy bars and Ensure/meal-replacement drinks; baby cereal and jarred food; and baby formula (liquid or powdered).
- Toiletry items needed, such as shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, and toothpaste.
For more information contact: rosemarie@gracetoronto.ca
PRAYERS
Help love our neighbours by praying for them and the organizations that serve them.
+ ADAM HOUSE
Praise God for the individuals and GGs who sponsored a total of 12 pairs of winter boots for new residents at Adam House over the last two months. The recipients (3 women, 4 men, 5 children) were grateful for the timely gifts that will keep them warm this winter.
Prayer for three community members who are looking for jobs -- that God opens doors for them so they can use their gifts to provide for their families and start putting down roots in the city.
Prayer for residents who recently moved out of the house -- that they continue to experience friendship and love through connections they’ve made at Adam House with staff, church volunteers, and other residents, and that they be protected from loneliness.
+ SAFE FAMILIES
Prayer that God would call members of our Grace Toronto community to find room in their homes, hearts, and lifestyles to become a Host family for a child in need of a safe place to stay.
Prayer that the staff and volunteers would find strength and motivation in the sacrificial love of Christ as they sacrificially love and serve children and parents in need of mercy and compassion.
Prayer that Safe Families Canada would become a place of refuge in Toronto for families who have nowhere else to turn in times of isolation and crisis.
Prayer that God would support, comfort, and provide for the needs of families who struggle in isolation, now more than ever. Single mothers are carrying the full burden of parenting without any time to recharge.
Prayer for a smooth transition as our executive director goes on maternity leave this month and another staff member fills her place.
+ TORONTO CITY MISSION
Praise God that staff and kids have been able to communicate better.
Praise God that all the families and staff continue to remain in good health!
Praise God that we're still able to continue ministry despite having to move to online programming.
Prayer for the children to learn and understand what is being taught as it can be difficult for them to concentrate and stay engaged with more screen time due to online learning.
Prayer for children and parents to find a healthy family dynamic as they are required to spend most, if not all, of their hours together in a small space.
Prayer for the continued health and safety of the families and staff.
Prayer for the staff as they continue to connect with the families from a distance.
VOLUNTEER OPENINGS
FIGHT4FREEDOM
Fight4Freedom is an organization that works in the GTA with women, children and men enslaved in the sex trade. In addition, they offer aftercare, advocacy, and referral support to individuals who are ready and able to transition into alternate work. They are currently recruiting qualified individuals.
+ Details
Street Outreach
Commitment: minimum 1 year, weekly outreach
Outreach time: Fridays from 10:30pm-2:30am (usually it doesn't take up the whole 4 hours)
Through our street outreach ministry, we continue to journey with women in Toronto who are involved in sex work and often face challenges related to housing, substance use and mental health. During outreach time, we walk around the neighbourhood where it's known to have sex-work-related activities. We approach individuals with gifts and try to start up conversations. We listen as they share stories about their upbringing, relationships and long-distance parenting. From these stories, the common narrative that often emerges is one of intergenerational trauma perpetuated by cycles of criminalization and structural violence – many share about growing up in foster care, getting recruited into the sex industry, using street drugs to self-medicate, having 3-8 children apprehended due to addictions and then being incarcerated for drug possession. We continue to pray that our relationships with these ladies would allow us to speak truth and hope into the narratives that distort their sense of worth and identity. At a systemic level, both our ministry and survivor care departments are working with community partners to provide survivors and individuals who would like to exit with health support and to develop sustainable employment opportunities.
Club or Parlour Outreach
Commitment: minimum 1 year, monthly outreach and prayer gathering
Outreach time: one evening a month between Monday to Thursday for outreach; one evening a month for prayer and gift bag preparation; meet up time varies between 6-9pm; each outreach usually is within 3 hours time
Each club or parlour outreach team goes to the same strip club or parlours every month. The team approaches a club and asks entry permission from the club manager. Once allowed access, the team will go to the main area and approach individuals working there with gifts and try to start up conversations. For parlour outreach, the team approaches a parlour and tries to start up conversations with the individual who answers the door. We listen as they share stories. Same as street outreach, we continue to pray that our relationships with these ladies would allow us to speak truth and hope into the narratives that distort their sense of worth and identity. At a systemic level, both our ministry and survivor care departments are working with community partners to provide survivors and individuals who would like to exit with various support and to develop sustainable employment opportunities.
NOTE: Volunteers may encounter nudity during outreach. It is an asset to be bilingual in English and Chinese for parlour outreach.
If you are interested, please contact Rosemarie Friesen: rosemarie@gracetoronto.ca