Notice

The reported incident of a 19- year-old mother abandoning her baby in an old animal shelter off Spanish Town Road in Kingston has cut to the very core of our emotions. My initial response was simply to condemn the mother as being an uncaring, inhumane person behaving the way that not even animals do. Perhaps Nicolette deserves some of the harsh comments that we will all throw at her. She has scarred the life of an innocent two-year-old. How can someone ignore the weeping of a two-year-old crying desperately, 'Mommy, Mommy'?

This 19-year-old mother must be punished; she must be made to know in no uncertain terms that in any society, no matter what level we have reached, this behaviour is unacceptable and cannot be condoned. I am not sure what is the appropriate punishment for this young woman, but she needs punishment. That's my first response.

But, something deep down tells me that she needs pastoral help more than anything else. There is a hint in the report that she was troubled on the night that she was getting dressed allegedly to go to Sting. Could it be that this girl still has a conscience, still has a heart, still cares? Many may find this hard to believe, but in the worst of us there is at least a sprinkling of humanity. What can we do to rescue this girl from herself? This girl got pregnant when she was a little over 16 years old. Obviously, she was ill prepared for the responsibility of raising a child, especially a child that is either physically or mentally challenged. Note well that I am not in any way excusing this young woman, I am simply trying to understand the other side of her story.

Dysfunctional

A large proportion of teenage girls who get pregnant are from a disadvantaged or dysfunctional socio-economic background. Many were themselves born to teenage mothers, who generally occupy underpaid and undervalued work positions. These young women can nevertheless be very good mothers if they receive proper support. Is it possible for this young woman to be transformed into a good mother? She needs our help.

My focus has been on this mother, but I believe that we have to raise questions about the father. Where is he in all of this? Has he been a supportive father, present for his family or is he being distracted by another family which he has to care for elsewhere? Women don't get pregnant by themselves, there is a man involved.

Sound family values

As a nation, we certainly need to pay more attention to family. All our attempts to fix the crime problem will end in futility if we continue to give scant regard to the teaching and practising of sound family values. Our nation is being fed with too much filth. We rank number ten in the world in the list of countries that most explore porn sites on the internet. Many of our entertainers spit out filth on the stage and on the airwaves. Our diet is wrong and it is no surprise we have become so sick.

The story of this 19-year-old mother should be another wake up call to this nation. We cannot continue like this. I lament the fact that so many of us as pastors and churchgoers continue to be so irrelevant to this nation. This is a wake up call for me. Nicolette abandoned her baby and we hold her responsible, but many of us have abandoned our call to carry out the Jesus mission, "to preach the gospel to the poor; to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord. (St Luke 4:18)

Rev Dr Roy Notice is principal Bethel Bible College, Mandeville.

'Many may find this hard to believe, but in the worst of us there is at least a sprinkling of humanity.'