In honor of Mother’s Day we had the opportunity to interview two of our Compassion Youth Mentoring moms. Through our conversations, we learned about their individual motherhood journeys and the impact of C.Y.M. Both conversations left us filled with encouragement and wisdom. We pray that you too find encouragement in their stories. The names have been changed in order to protect the privacy of the families.
Allison and Megan became aware of C.Y.M. through a mutual friend at church. Megan was beginning down a misleading path, and Allison thought it would be a good choice to involve her daughter with Compassion Youth Mentoring. Immediately upon being asked to recall her daughter’s experience, Allison remarked on the character and understanding of the mentors. “The mentors became people who were there for her no matter what”. Megan had a hard time accepting love and when love was shown to her through her mentors it was new and life giving. The love she received kept bringing her back. Witnessing the mentors interact with Megan made Allison want to be a better mom. “Seeing how Megan reacts and responds to love, just kind of woke me up”. Now, Allison is there whenever her daughter needs her. She loves to love on Megan. Allison jokingly added, “whenever she lets me!” Allison’s motherhood advice is to trust in the process, take it day by day, and just love them, no matter what. She has found that the most wonderful part of being a mother is seeing happiness through her daughter’s eyes. One of the things that made the design studio so impactful for her as a mother, was watching Megan’s joy increase. We are so thankful to have been a part of Allison and Megan’s journey.
Adira is a single middle eastern mama of five. She moved with her daughters to the US from Iraq almost 11 years ago. Adira was first introduced to C.Y.M. about three years after they had moved. Compassion Youth Mentors had been knocking on doors in her complex as it was close to the studio. She was hesitant at first but felt a kindness from the mentors. She decided to accept their invitation and brought two of her girls to their first C.Y.M. group. Adira met with the entire team and said it was “like visiting a friend”. Her two daughters are still involved with the group, over 7 years later. Adira explained that C.Y.M. is one of a few places she can let her girls go and trust that they will be respected, treated well, and taken care of.
Her daughters have celebrated birthdays, graduations, and other special occasions with their Compassion Youth Mentoring family. When they first joined the program, they enjoyed taking field trips and learning new skills. When Adira moved to the United States she knew about 2% of English. Adira taught herself English and went back to school. She has loved teaching her daughters that no matter how old you are, you can go back to school, learn new things, and explore. It was a bonus that Compassion championed the same values. Adira has seen her daughters pushed in new ways through C.Y.M. Audrey, her daughter, has been afraid of hiking in the past. During a C.Y.M. getaway to Mt Hood, the girls rallied around her to help her overcome her fear. The climb was not without tears but Audrey bravely overcame. Adira was overjoyed when Audrey’s mentor had sent a photo of her at the top of the mountain.
Adira explained that motherhood has been a journey. She believes it is what made her become a strong woman. “I survived three different wartimes, being a mother is adding to that strength. I have to be strong for my girls”. She further explained that the journey has not been easy but it has always been possible. Her favorite part of being a mom is teaching her daughters to love and trust themselves. “I want them to know that they are capable of doing whatever they want, they just need to trust and believe”. Adira is a believer that prayer can make miracles and change circumstances. She prays for her daughters to be well, happy, and capable as they embark on new seasons of life. “The real love is that you want your kids to be better than you.” It was an honor to speak with Adira and learn more about the love she has for her girls. We are incredibly grateful that we have been a part of their journey.