054000 February 22, 2008 Four Sections—Section A TENNESSEE CONFERENCE REVIEW an edition ofThe United Methodist ReporterThe United Methodist Reporter (USPS 954-500) is published weekly by UMR Communications, 1221 Profit Drive, Dallas, TX 75247-3919. Periodicals Postage Paid at Dallas, Tx and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to The United Methodist Reporter, PO Box 660275, Dallas, TX 75266-0275. V ol ume 154 Number 42 Continued on page 8A Meet Miriam’s Promise By Debbie Sims Located in Nashville’s historic Tulip Street United Methodist Church on Russell Street, Miriam’s Promise was established in 1985 by the Tennessee Annual Conference to provide pregnancy, parenting and adoptions services. Originally intended to be a small satellite office ofHolston United Methodist Home for Children ofGreeneville, Tennessee, Miriam’s Promise quickly grew in response to the need for services. In 2003, Holston scaled back its operations to concentrate in east A very happy dad with his adopted daughter. I was arrested on New Year’s Eve 2005. During the processing medical exam, it was discovered that I was pregnant—about 3 months. I was in total shock. I’d been a regular user of crack, not taking very good care of my health, smoking, etc. After a couple of months of pre- tending it wasn’t true, I realized I needed to look for a stable and sensible solution. The baby’s biological fatherwas out of my life. My ex-husband was supportive of me but would never raise this baby for me or with me. My plans were very incomplete for raising my child. I wrote five letters but didn’t have stamps so my weekend-time roommate mailed my letters to agencies in which I outlined my situation, what I needed and how to contact me. Miriam’s Promise was the first and only one to visit me in person and that made an immediate impres- sion. It told me I would be treated with respect and with- out prejudice due to my incarceration. I wanted someone who would treat me like a person. My counselor, Lee-Ann walked with me through the decision-making process, and never once denied me the option of parenting and helped me look at all the ways that could happen. She did all she could to deliver the same type of services to me she would to any other client. She made sure I finally got the medical care I needed, was with me in the hospital and helped to make sure I could deliv- er like anyone else, without being chained or shackled. I now get pictures and letters from Ike and Vicki, the adoptive family. I also have the peace of mind that my decision was and always will be honored and that I am not alone. Jail is a lonely place, hopeless and anonymous. This type of service replaces those feelings with someone to care about you and your situation, replaces it with hope and being seen for who you are, not for the crime you committed or are accused of. From Scarlett—My Story Bishop Wills relates to adopted children who were part ofthe Miriam’s Promise report to the 2007 Tennessee Annual Conference Continued on page 5A Pregnancy Counseling Program Tina was 24 with two young children and pregnant when she was evicted from her apartment. She learned that money she was giving her soon-to-be-ex husband was being used for drugs rather than paying rent. When she called Miriam’s Promise, her counselor went into action. Staff and volunteers rounded up household items and furniture from surrounding congregations and made sure Tina and her children had a safe place to live. She found a supportive environment at Miriam’s Promise that allowed her to explore decisions for her future, herunborn child and ways to care for her family. Tina even- tually chose adoption for her newborn son, selected the adoptive family and stays in touch with them and hercounselor at Miriam’s Promise. Mary was referred to Miriam’s Promise after living in the state foster care system for years. The facility in which she was housed was closing, she was almost 18 and pregnant. Through the Elizabeth Project, a mentor- ing program at Miriam’s Promise, she found a church family. This young Mary was surrounded by loving and caring friends who welcomed her and her new child. Hermentors helped Mary find an apartment and to furnish it. They hosted a “Christmas in July” shower for her that provided for her apartment needs and for her baby. Miriam’s Promise mentors were there at the pre-natal Expecting the Best—Prison Ministry Program By Lee Ann Higgins, MSSW On any given day, up to 600 women are housed in the Davidson County Correctional Facility. On average, 15- 20 of them are expectant mothers. While medical care is available, the county does not provide any pregnancy counseling or mentoring services. In late 2005, Miriam’s Promise received a request for help from an incarcerated woman. Staff member Lee Ann Higgins responded and provided counseling. Through that relationship, it became apparent that the women’s jail had an ongoing need for pregnancy coun- seling. Lee Ann designed an eight-week curriculum that targeted the unique needs of these women and in January of 2007 she began Expecting the Best, a pilot counseling program for pregnant women in the Davidson County jail. Today, the weekly group meet- ings regularly draw a group of 7 or 8 women. “Miriam’s Promise is the only entity that currently offers this type of program to women in jail,” says Lee Ann. “These expectant mothers have commonly experi- enced domestic violence, alcohol or drug abuse and dependency, have been arrested and jailed before and have other children. They are not only facing the conse- Eliza Mae— An Adoptive Parents’ StoryAs I sit down to try and put into words how the mira- cle of adoption has touched our family, I wonder where to begin. My seven month old daughter, Eliza Mae, is rolling around on the floor at this moment, babbling incessantly and pulling at her little toes. She has a head full of dark hair, and her giggles are contagious. Though she has been in our arms just over three months now, she was in our hearts before she was even conceived in herbirth mother’s womb in Vietnam. My husband and I were married in May of 2002, and we had our first child in December of 2004. When he was around seven months old, we decided to try and become pregnant again. However, it wasn’t long until thoughts of adoption began rattling around in our minds. Each family comes to its decision to adopt in a differ- ent way. For some, it follows on the painful heels ofinfertility. Others make the choice to fulfill a lifelong dream. And, for other families, including ours, it is an act of faith and a willingness to watch God unfold a beauti- ful plan. So it was that a few months into our efforts to become pregnant, we decided to put things on hold, and see what God might have in store. At this time we began researching adoption. We also began praying about this decision, and on Valentine’s Day of 2006, we officially began our adoption “journey.” We chose an agency that is out of state, so we contacted Miriam’s Promise in Nashville to conduct our home study. After it was completed, along with the mounds ofother forms required for an international adoption, ourpaperwork was submitted to Vietnam and the long wait began. There were days, weeks, and months when it felt like the phone call would never arrive. I have thought many times about this wait. I so wanted to get to the end of it and not look back with regret. I wanted God to find me faithful in the waiting, and not constantly impatient. There were times of failure in this area, for sure, but I never lost faith in the belief that He was in control. Forevery tear that I cried waiting and praying for Eliza to get here, I was never able to escape a deep-down knowing that He had already foreseen every detail of the “time- line” of her life (*Psalm 139). Finally, on September 27th, 2007, our agency called to tell us that our daughter was waiting for us in the Nam Dinh Province of northern Vietnam. One month later we boarded a plane. We sometimes call Eliza our holiday baby, because she was placed in our arms for the very first time on Halloween, and we arrived back home in Nashville early on Thanksgiving morning. Adoption has added new dimensions to our family’s life, love, and faith. It is clear to us now that there was always a space meant just for Eliza. Watching her eyes dance as she plays, we know she is truly home. *If you would like to read more about our travels to bring Eliza home, please visit our blog at www.lovetoe l- ly.blogspot.com Continued on page 4A Continued on page 5A
