Avia Collinder, Gleaner Writer

Merle Morris, from Waterford in St Catherine, believes her daughter is an angel because the 40-year-old single woman is caring for two motherless boys - aged two and a half years - and treating them like her own.

Her daughter, Beverly Morris, was at home in Waterford on Boxing Day, December 2006, when Omarian Joshua Davis was brought to her by his mother for two hours of care.

Care for the toddlers

Merle Morris, along with Beverly - at the time - ran a crèche in Waterford, in which they would care for the toddlers of neighbours for a few hours each day.

But, Omarian's mom never returned that day, and two hours have turned into two years.

Merle Morris recalls, "We went to the Child Development Agency (CDA), although everyone was telling us to go to the police station.

"We said 'no'. We did not know what the mother's problem was."

Each day, Beverly and Merle would place the toddler on the grilled veranda in the hope that someone passing by would recognise him and lead them to his mother. One day someone did.

The Morrises, on locating the mother, encouraged her to get counselling at the CDA.

Time to get prepared

Omarian's mom contacted the agency and asked the mother- daughter pair to give her one year, as she needed to "set herself up properly". Despite this promise, the mother again disappeared.

Beverly remembers, "I was kind of nervous because we knew nothing about him (Omarian) or if he had any illnesses. I was also concerned that the mother might return and say that we had kidnapped her child."

But, she was still willing to keep the child. On her second visit, Omarian's mother had told Beverly that she had nowhere to keep her son, and this touched the single woman.

The mother and daughter have also received one more child from the CDA for fostering. Two and a half year-old Adrian Richards has been living with the women and his new 'brother' Omarian for the last year.

Both boys are taken to church by their foster mom and have been placed in class one at the Waterford Missionary Basic School.

Providing for the boys

Beverly Morris notes that while she gets help from the Government for their foster care, she has to use her own resources to make sure they have everything they need for home and school.

But, she does not mind, she states, as she has every intention of caring for them until they are 18 years old. She thinks of them as hers.

Beverley admits, "It is really quite challenging, but working as a babysitter has prepared me for them. They just fall into place. I view them as mine. I am trying to be an agent of change for them."

New grandmother, Merle Morris, states, "When we decided to keep Omarian, we wanted a good future for him. We are trying to get both boys started in life."

Morris says her boys are very quiet but "when they are ready" they behave like just ordinary boys.

Christian faith

Morris, who is a member of the Power of Faith Church in Portmore, says that while her Christian faith may be responsible for her unmarried status, it is this which has prepared her for caring for the motherless boys.

"This is how I was brought up and what I was taught. Children are a blessing and every child who is born has a purpose in life. They should not be treated in an offhanded way."

She has had the boys christened (blessed) at church and she takes them to services with her.

She smiles as she says, "They call me Mummy sometimes, when they are ready. I wish it was all the time."

The single mother says that she is certain that her boys will find good male role models in her extended family and in the church.

Grandmother Merle Morris, who has one other child - a son - states, "I am pleased. I had no grandchildren before this."