Supporting Women through Crisis Pregnancy

The phrase is a common one - "It takes a village to raise a child." So common that if I only say "It takes a village" in your head you will finish with "To raise a child."

Cultures of the West may not understand the deep meaning to these words. They may understand that raising a child is a collaborative effort, but not have experienced personally, just how collaborative this can be.

In Cambodia, so much of a person’s identity is based on who their family is and their role in the family.

To be without family is to have very little value and identity.

Because of this, MHO as a very strong focus on strengthening family bonds and rectifying broken family relationships. And we’ve had success.

Here is one of those success stories.

Sophy stood on a bridge, looking down. Hopelessness and desperation had brought her here. She wore loose clothes to disguise the reason she was there. When she first found out she was pregnant, she couldn’t believe it was true. She knew she had to tell her boyfriend. When he found out he was in as much shock as she was. They sat in silence. They made plans to see each other the next day but he didn’t show up. She waited. Then she called. The phone rang and rang. No answer. She called every day. By next week a message came across the wires that the phone number was no longer valid. He had left her. She was unmarried, would soon loose her job, and didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t stand the thought of telling her parents – they would be so ashamed of her. The neighbors would gossip. Her father had a heart condition, she didn’t think he would survive the loss of face and disgrace. For a month the question, “what will I do?,” went round and round in her head. Until it brought her to the bridge. It had all become too much to bare.

Sophy, standing on that bridge, needed help. She needed somewhere safe to go. She needed her village of support and care. By some miracle a moto taxi driver brought her to MHO. I still don’t know how he knew about us. MHO supported her with medical care. We offered her counseling and were there with her through the crisis. Our staff were even with her in the delivery room because she had no family there and they were the first to congratulate her on becoming a mom. MHO was the child’s first village.

But an organization is not family. She needed her parents. Her baby needed family. Once the baby was borne, slowly we helped her rebuild relationship with her parents. It took time, but finally, they invited her back home. Their love for her was stronger than fear of shame. And so the child’s village grew.

As supporters and donors, you are part of this village as well. You may not know the names and faces of the children you help, but you are a part of their village, helping to mold and shape them.