Who Will Fill the Void?

A recent press release from Staten Island addresses the repercussions of cutting certain government supported programs. LYFE-line is a program in New York that allows teen mothers to continue their high school education. It provides babysitting, counseling and support.

Even though cutting this program will save money now, the long-term savings aren’t very clear. Without a high school diploma, these mothers’ marketability is lower and so is their salary. Students who have a diploma are much more likely to earn a higher income and will be able to achieve financial independence more quickly than those who are forced to drop out. The program helps set these parents up for financial stability and may even allow them to pursue college at a later date. Without LYFE-line, many of these young mothers will be forced to drop out of school and find a minimum wage job. They will likely have to depend on government help to supplement their meager income. Of course, those welfare dollars come from the government. Instead of spending tax dollars to educate these women so that they can become productive, independent citizens, who pay into the tax system instead of taking from it, we’re going to take away those programs and force them to become dependent on the Welfare system. If we can’t afford this program, how much more can we afford to support these teen moms for life?

The social repercussions of cutting LYFE-line are also reason to pause and reconsider. LYFE-line doesn’t only help these students finish their high school careers; it also provides these young moms with counseling. Anyone who has raised a child knows that the first year is difficult for a grown, married woman to navigate. A teenager who is a single-parent and still trying to finish her schooling faces even more challenges. LYFE-line addresses these challenges by educating these new moms about every day care such as making doctor’s appointments and providing counseling on handling the day-to-day business of raising a child. Without this counseling, these children may end up in foster care, once again using more tax dollars. It is impossible to calculate how much LYFE-line saves New York citizens in the long-run.

Without the social and economic boost provided by LYFE-line, the large majority of teen moms, who do not have a reliable family network to fall back on, will be forced out of school and into welfare dependence.

What happens to these teen mothers if this government program is cut? That depends largely on people like you and me. When the government steps out, the church must fill the void. If the church won’t serve, who will? There are many stay-at-home moms who are in a position to offer these girls free babysitting and advice on parenting. It is time for the church to minister to the poor and trodden of our country. It’s what Jesus commanded us to do. Many in the church have the resources to do it, and because work for the church is done by volunteers, it doesn’t cost the same amount of money that the government has to spend.

Over the last century, the church has stepped back and allowed the government to take over the responsibility of serving the public. The government is now straining under the financial pressures, and because the priorities of the government are different than those of the church, programs such as LYFE-line are going to be the first to get cut, while programs promoting abortion will continue to receive funding. After all, it makes more sense to a secular government to abort the baby, which will be a drain on resources for the next eighteen years than to help a mom raise that baby.

The church must not allow programs like these to die. It is important to find a way to continue to support mothers who choose to keep their babies rather than aborting the pregnancy. It is time for the churches in the community to step forward and offer these young women the help that they are crying out for. Rather than just telling people not to abort, why don’t we help those who choose not to so that the choice isn’t as scary as it could be? It may be that we don’t need more money after all; we just need more people of faith who will talk less and act more. As the government backs out, the church must step in. If we don’t, we are just as guilty for leaving pregnant teens to fend for themselves.

With the economy slumping and government leaders trying to find ways to trim their budgets, the church needs to be aware of how it can step in and help. Look around your community. Where are the cuts happening? Be vigilant in looking for ways to step in and minister to those around you. If you feel like you’re too small, to make a difference, read about this young girl who is living out her faith. You don’t have to take on the whole world, just minister to one need at a time. You never know what God will do!