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 "I’m an 'other' mother to a number of young people
who were in and out of my house while my daughters
were growing
up. I would be introduced as, 'This is
my other mother'
on a regular basis and the young people became my other daughters
or sons."
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"One
of these other sons became an especially close member of the
family. He was growing up in an all male household having lost
his mother to cancer when he was young. While his father
worked hard at providing a good home for my other son and his
brothers, it was not the same as having a mom in the house."
"My daughter and my other son attended Sunday school and church
together, returning to our home to spend the afternoon, have
dinner and go off to youth group in the evening. Neither one
could go if I didn’t have proof that all homework was up to
date. On Saturdays there was church league basketball, bowling
parties, and the like, only attended if chores were done. And
my other son had chores at my house as well as my daughter.
If he was going to spend that much time there and eat my food
he could help with dishes."
"My other son did all this willingly – he enjoyed having someone
watching out for him and readily did dishes in return for meals
that didn’t come from the fast food restaurant on the corner.
But as happens with young people, he and my daughter drifted
apart. I missed my other son, and often wondered what had
become of him."
"During his senior year of high school we ran in to him at one
of his many part-time jobs, discovering that he wasn’t doing
well in school and wasn’t sure he would graduate. The other
mother in me came out and I scolded him. It wasn’t enough, as
next we knew, he had been asked to leave school. I felt terrible
for him. What was to become of my other son without his high
school diploma?"
"Recently, he popped back into my life. My daughter ran into
him and he asked how our family was doing. She in turn invited
him to come home for a family meal and find out for himself.
His response was that in memory of all the home cooked meals
he enjoyed at my house – he wanted to make me a home cooked
meal. What a joy to come home from a busy day at work to find
my other son cooking up a storm in my kitchen."
"During dinner conversation he mentioned that he was considering
joining the military. My heart sank – I knew he would have to
have a minimum of a GED in order to sign up. When I mentioned
this to him he told me how he didn’t graduate from his high
school and he didn’t have a GED. But he had his diploma. He
was able to go to another school, one where he was able to get
the help he needed not only to understand his work, but that
helped him keep to a schedule and complete his work."
"With a great deal of pride, he puffed his chest up and said
'I am a graduate of Perseus House'."
"How small the world is. I am involved in a partnership with
Perseus House through my place of employment. I know Perseus
House does good things and have a general idea of their work.
But now I really know what Perseus House does."
"Perseus House gave my other son the chance he needed. And
it gave him pride."
"Me too. I’m so proud of my other son. And I am so proud to
be affiliated with Perseus House."
Rosemarie Werling, FLMI, FIC, ACS
Director of Fraternal Administration
Loyal
Christian Benefit Association
Read another success story
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