Kate Mueller’s Winning Essay
Kate Mueller
St. Timothy School, Boone County
It was a morning like any other. My stomach grumbled, and I felt the deep pain of hunger in the pit of my stomach. I knew the day would bring only a few small morsels of food. I was born into poverty-stricken Ethiopia, and I lived there until the age of four when I was adopted. I am here living with a wonderful family and several other adopted sisters. I am able to walk the earth today because my birth mother recognized the dignity and worth of all life. My parents also understand this, and they created a welcoming home for their children. Knowing the pain of hunger myself, I understand how poverty and food-scarcity could lead to women terminating the life in their own womb rather that facing the struggle of not being able to raise their child. By offering support such as childcare and food relief to poverty-stricken mothers, we can offer hope and compassion during a pivotal time in their lives.
By having a mother who embraced my innate, God-given dignity, my life was spared. My birth mother lived in poverty in a small town in Ethiopia. She could barely feed herself, and she knew she would not be able to take care of me when I was born. Instead of taking the easy way out, she chose to carry and give birth to me. She put me in an orphanage that had more resources than she could ever provide. She had tears in her eyes as she watched me leave and go to a place where she knew I would get the care I needed. Because of her selfless decision, I am able to realize the worth of life. Scripture states, “For I know well the plans I have in mind for you-oracle of the LORD-plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope” (New American Bible Revised Edition, Jeremiah 29:11). My birth mother knew that God had a plan for my life, and she understood that my life was meaningful, no matter the circumstances I was born into. All life is precious regardless of the condition.
It is our responsibility to support struggling mothers and families in our community. According to a recent study, “The average cost of childcare for one child in the U.S. is about $10,900 per year.” (The Economic Impact of Childcare by State”). This puts additional stress on mothers with a limited income. This was the case with my younger sister who was adopted at birth. Her mom lived in Cincinnati, and was not able to provide for her, so she made an adoption plan. The lack of support mothers receive with new children is devastating. To help alleviate this, I have taken the initiative to offer free babysitting services in my community. By using my service, families can have time to attend to health concerns, be active in their faith network, and work to provide for their families. As leaders of our faith we need to lend a helping hand to impoverished mothers. It is our duty as young Catholics to pray for leaders in our country to pass legislation and welcome new life.
Providing meals for lower income children and moms is essential to supporting families as they welcome new life into their homes. I prioritize helping lower-income children because I remember when I was in Ethiopia and would only receive a small portion of food. Go Pantry collects and distributes food to malnourished children in Boone County. We need to raise awareness in our community about this beneficial service to our neighbors who need additional support to feed their families. Attending to the needs of the poor is our call from God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, “The corporal works of mercy consist especially in feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and imprisoned, and burying the dead. Among all these, giving alms to the poor is one of the chief witnesses to fraternal charity: it is also a work of justice pleasing to God” (2447). Feeding poor families brings alive the teachings of the Church.
To conclude, all life is precious and deserves dignity and respect. When we support struggling women and families in both speech and action, we bring our faith to life. Let us answer God’s call for us to help our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
