Suffer the little children

Within the space of little more than a week Ermelo was rocked by a tragic freak accident, a fire in which yet another family lost all their possessions and, equally tragic, the abandonment of two newborn babies.

While people in general are quick to judge and may even suggest the harshest and most terrible punishment for the mothers who simply abandon their infants, we cannot know what it is that causes the mothers to arrive at a point where they take such a drastic step.

We who have children and grandchildren whom we love and cherish cannot begin to think why a mother can do this to her own flesh and blood.
Or can we?

If we stop to think longer and harder about it, there must surely be reasons and circumstances that lead the mothers to believe that abandoning their babies is the only way out.

As a society that prides itself on caring for one another, we have a duty to be on the lookout for people who find themselves in desperate situations such as these mothers found themselves in. But we need not look too far from our immediate surroundings.

A neighbor, a colleague, or even a family member may show subtle signs of desperation and plod silently along with life, believing no-one cares.

Instead of being super-knowledgeable and offering advice and solutions after the fact, we need to embrace these people in an effort to make them realise that there are still people who care.

To mothers-to-be who may find themselves in a dire situation, we as a society plead with you to seek help before the situation gets out of hand.

There are many childless couples who will willingly accept an unwanted child. Work through the correct channels at Child Welfare, SASSA, CMR , FCS and other organisations before crossing swords with the law and adding even more trouble to your already overburdened shoulders.