Traveling the Rock Road

In today’s society a girl who becomes an unwed mother will find many who will come along side and help her with her child. Not so in the 1950s as gals who found themselves in this position were generally ostracized and looked down on in society. This is where Kate found herself in ‘54. She fell for a man who, after he found out she was pregnant, left her to make it on her own. The majority of her family chastised her for allowing something like this to happen and she left to fend for herself and her beloved baby. To make matters worse Kate was saddled with mental, emotional, and physical issues. That made it nearly impossible to find a good job to support them. But she was determined; she now had a child and she was going to do every earthly thing possible to raise that baby. So, Kate would work at anything and anyplace possible. It was hard on her but she was willing to do whatever it took to raise her child.

Now she didn’t have to go through all that, because there were individuals willing to adopt her baby. First, was the doctor who did the delivery. He not only talked to Kate about he and his wife taking the child, he made a generous financial offer. Next was a family member who had no children and she her a husband wanted the baby. Both offers she flatly turned down and made the decision to leave the area and home she had known all her life for a fresh start. She moved to Maryland where she worked numerous jobs while hiring a babysitter for her child. She was doing the best she could do, but sadly it wasn’t enough to pay all the bills and support the two of them.

Then she got a call from shirt-tail relation that said they were willing to help anyway they could. The two were soon on a bus heading to Kentucky. The child was now three and wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but Kate reassured it was going to be okay. She had to leave but promised to return. So, for the next year Kate set a course of finding a good job and making a home so she could go back for her child. Sadly though, these people had other ideas. It seemed they were going to take advantage of her problems and they refused to give the child back to her. Now there’s a lot more to this story, but that’s for another time. I’ll just say they didn’t convince Kate as well as they thought they did, and a month later the two were happily back together.

Kate made a vow that she was going to raise that child and nothing and nobody was going to keep her from it. Settling in Ohio, Kate found regular work that was finally enough to support the two of them. It was hard work with long hours often bringing her close to tears from the pain she felt. But knowing that she and her beloved were together, making sure that child would never see a hungry day and doing all she could to give the child everything she didn’t have as a child, gave Kate the joy and energy to keep going.

Joshua 1:9: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Truth was Kate was frightened; she didn’t know if she could raise her child, but with the help of the Good Lord, and a family member who came to stand beside her, she was going to give it all she had to offer. Through all her sacrifices that child grew up, learning numerous abilities and earning college degrees. Kate’s earthy walk ended some 20 years ago. She would be 100 if she was with us today. But for a young girl from the back hills of West Virginia with little hope of a future, she now has many decedents who love her because she did not give up on raising her child. Some would call her brave. Some might call her senseless and even crazy for not taking an easier road to life. But to this man who knew her and her ways better than anyone, I simply defined her with one word–Ma.

Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”

Ma, you accomplished a lot and excelled where many didn’t believe you would, where many would have given up if they even tried. You showed by what God put in you, and His help, you could accomplish so, so much. Ma, you gave me more than you ever knew, which was an example of what a loving and dedicated parent is. Love you Dearly, Ma.

See you next time.