I usually do not struggle with a theme to blog about, but this week each time I tried to prepare and write, my heart hurt a bit too much to get it out. Even as I was interviewed by the LA Times writer, I couldn’t get out the word ‘involving’ as tears came to my eyes when I said, “We are used to tragedies, but not ….babies.”

The thought of a two month old baby dying overnight at Union Rescue Mission was too much for me to bear, but that is the news I received over the phone on the day we were getting ready to celebrate my son’s wedding out of state. I hope I held up well during what should have been a happy day in my family and the happiest day in my son’s life, but I have to admit I was extremely brokenhearted for the precious baby, her mom, and for all involved. All of the details are not in, but what we do know is that our staff, concerned for the baby’s health and safety, called the Child Abuse hotline Tuesday morning and the Department of Children and Family Services showed up on Wednesday to connect with the mom and child but could not find her. So, DCFS came back on Thursday and connected with mom and baby, but did not decide to take the baby into protective foster care. Early Friday morning, the young mom dressed her baby, as if she was still alive, and tried to leave the building quietly in the early morning hours. Our staff was alerted and stopped the mom at the door. Meanwhile, a Department of Children and Family Services staff member was in our elevator on her way to see mom with an order to take the baby into custody and the police had been called, but it was too late to save baby Jasmine’s life or prevent tragedy from striking this young mom and Union Rescue Mission.

Last Saturday at 6:00 A.M. I awakened to a phone call from a concerned lady from Tennessee – Jasmine’s aunt – and I then realized the story had broken into the news. I tried to quickly wake myself up and console the sister, after which, I came down to work to await the throng of media that might show up at the Mission. Jasmine’s aunt sent pictures of the young lady during a happier time in her life, showing a young beautiful mom who had been a successful Atlanta businesswoman before struggling with bipolar disease, leaving home for the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles, but only to find the mean streets of Skid Row – my heart was even more broken for this family. I went out and searched the streets for the young mom, now childless and apparently wandering the mean streets yet again, as I hoped to connect her with her family, someone who could help her through this horrible circumstance, but I could not find her.

Some want to blame the Social Worker, some want to blame DCFS, while others want to cast all of the blame and responsibility on the young mom. We at Union Rescue Mission have decided to mourn for the precious baby, weep for the young mom, pray for those who are dealing with the load and burden of guilt, encourage our staff to not grow weary in doing good, and shape future policy to make sure not one child ever slips through the cracks again. Here is the note that I sent to our staff. Keep us all in your thoughts and prayers.

TEAM,
I always pass good news in the media about URM, and so I also feel obligated to share some heartbreaking news in today’s LA Times. As I said in the article, we are going to step up our efforts to be extra vigilant and diligent to connect families with County Workers and get children full health screenings right away, in order to make sure we never suffer such a loss again, but our staff did take the action that could have saved this precious child, and I am thankful for all of your hard work and ministry here at Union Rescue Mission. Please take time to weep and mourn this tragic loss, but do not grow weary in doing good.I am honored and blessed to serve here with you.

Galatians 6:9 (ESV)
9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.

Philippians 4:5-7 (ESV)
5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand;
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Your co-worker in Christ, Andy B.

We now have 11 moms and 22 children at Hope Gardens Family Center! The children are between the ages of 2 months and 10 years old and I have had a lot of fun playing adopted “Grandpa” to the children, buying all of the children bikes. I wish you could see 22 children darting around the campus on beautiful new bicycles!

With all of the activity around Hope Gardens and Union Rescue Mission, I have even developed a new exercise program. Each hot afternoon I push a cart full of water around Skid Row, delivering cold water to the folks left on the streets, to both strengthen and encourage them into coming into Union Rescue Mission. I then drive out to Hope Gardens to meet the children on the playground for a bit of a routine wrestling match the children have started between myself and whoever I can find to challenge the 22 children on the playground. Needless to say, I need some reinforcements, but it is whipping me into shape!

The other day I arrived to meet a new young mom. She was sitting and relaxing for a moment. I introduced myself and she did the same. Immediately, she thanked me for the opportunity to live at Hope Gardens Family Center. “It is so nice to not be wandering the streets all day until the emergency shelter opens up! My son, Robbie, is up playing on the playground,” as she pointed him out. “He a big guy for 6 and ½ years old but he is finally able to be a kid again! When you meet him, the first thing he will say is, ‘Have you seen my mom?’ ”
Sure enough, as I met this little husky guy, he asked, “Have you seen my mom?” Looking back on my childhood and how protective I was of my own mom, I believe Robbie has really been focused on protecting his mom during their time of homelessness and on the streets and in the San Fernando Valley emergency shelter. Now, Robbie is learning he can lighten up on protecting his mom because we are and take time to have lots of fun riding his bike, playing on the playground, and enjoying school.

What a joy to bring this type of relief to a precious mom and her little big guy! To think that this is happening to so many moms and kids is overwhelming – thank you to all who made it happen! –Rev. Andy Bales