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“I remember the day when Jane came to the office, she was broke, with no money to pay for her taxi. We paid for her fare and that was the beginning of our journey with her,” recalls Maria, a befriender with Catholic Family Life’s Pregnancy Crisis and Support (PCS) service.
Jane* was in her mid-20s when she found out she was three months pregnant. Her boyfriend whom she had been dating for two years, not only left her, but also took all their money along with him.
Distressed and alone because she did not want her family to find out about her situation, she reached out in desperation to us at PCS, seeking a listening ear and guidance in making decisions. It was here that she met our PCS befrienders, Anna and Maria, who accompanied Jane and became her confidant during this trying time. In addition to giving her guidance and emotional support, they helped her to apply for financial assistance to regain financial independence and self-confidence. Jane also received practical assistance before her delivery in the form of pregnancy nutritional milk, and after delivery, newborn necessities like diapers and milk powder.
Over the nine months, it was a roller-coaster ride, with many ups and downs. At times, the anxiety was so intense and the fears so overwhelming, and other times, Jane looked forward to the new life that was to come. Eventually, Jane was able to get back up on her feet again to emerge a stronger and more resilient person.
Life is sometimes full of unexpected detours and crossroads. We may find ourselves in challenging situations, feeling helpless and hopeless, needing a listening ear to guide us out of the darkness. Jane is just one of many individuals who found light through our hotline befrienders at PCS. Particularly during this period of COVID-19, the PCS crisis hotline is our promise to provide a safe and non-judgemental environment for women with unplanned pregnancies who faced new challenges, from the fear of losing their job during this time of economic recession, contracting COVID-19 during pregnancy, to the social isolation posed by the restrictions.
Even though face-to-face befriending is not possible, PCS continues to use online platforms during this period to provide a safe space of love and support to help these women and girls to make informed decisions for themselves and the new life inside of them.
*Not her real name
Sharing by Catholic Family Life
About Catholic Family Life
Catholic Family Life’s (CFL) mission is to form, empower and restore individuals, married couples and families in every stage of life so all may flourish in the intimate love of God. CFL’s main programmes/services are available to all, regardless of race, language and religion.
Caritas Singapore assesses the needs of our charity member organisations to fund programmes that serve our brothers and sisters in need.
