Warrior Mothers: 6 Women, 1 Baby, and Peace on Earth

“I’m sorry, but we’ll have to call child protective services. You can’t be the primary caregiver for your baby while you receive this treatment.”

She is a mother, and it’s the Christmas season. But there is nothing peaceful or joyful about today. She is a mother, clutching her 2-week-old infant, while she hears this baby may be taken from her today into foster care. She is exhausted and needs emergency medical treatment—but she is also alone right now. And hospital policy cannot allow her to hold her baby while receiving that medical treatment. The risk and liability is too great. She is terrified. She wonders if she should refuse life-saving treatment and flee with her baby rather than lose her. 

Where is the hope in the whirl of this broken world? A world where a mother can lose her child simply because she lacks needed support when a crisis strikes, and the world will just keep on turning?

Don’t be afraid. It’s a phrase that is echoed again and again in the Christmas story: to Zechariah, to Mary, to shepherds. But there is so very, very much to fear in this darkness, and where is the light?

Then, a hospital case manager picks up the phone and makes a different call: Is there anything Alongside Families can do for this mother and her baby? It would have to be immediate, or they will have no choice but to call CPS.

Alongside Families sends out the need to volunteers in partner churches across the city. And we hold our breath and wait, praying for a little bit of light for this mother and her child.

The responses come flooding in, one after the other: 14 families from 11 churches, all willing to serve if needed. Within 1.5 hours another mother is sitting in the hospital room with this mother, gently rocking baby girl. This volunteer is expecting a little one of her own soon. She had to get care in place for her own little boys so she could come to the hospital. But another mother needed her. Another family could not stay intact unless she gave of herself. So she came.

And one by one they each come: Five mothers, over the course of three days, from sun-up to sun-down, to rock another mother’s baby and hold back the darkness with the light they bring with them. They bring food and laughter and open arms and mother-to-mother love. When it comes time for the mother to be discharged from the hospital, another mother drives her and her baby home. Together. Just as it should be.

Don’t be afraid.

Yes, we walk in a land of darkness. But we have seen a great light. The Prince of Peace has come, and one day He will make everything right. Until then, we His children carry His light into the dark places. Until then, we have the privilege of laying down our plans and convenient schedules to love our neighbors with a Christ-love that is ready and willing when the needs arise.

Sometimes, peace on earth looks like angels proclaiming, “Glory to God in the highest!”. And, sometimes, peace on earth looks like warrior-mothers who rise to defend another mother and sit down to rock a stranger’s baby.

Silent night. Holy night. All is well.

Thank you to the following Alongside Families partner churches, represented by the amazing volunteers in this story, who stood shoulder-to-shoulder as mothers to keep this precious family intact: Bethel Presbyterian Church, LIFE Fellowship Church, Mercy Church, Journey Church, Uptown Church