Posted at: 09/11/2009 4:12 PM
By: Elaine Houston

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All My Children

I have no natural children-but I have many kids that I did not give birth to who are special to me. As a reporter, I met some of them while out on stories. They walked up to the live truck- curious-wanting to know why we were in their neighborhood. As often happened, I  explained the story I was doing and then invited them to take a look inside the live truck. They all left a mark on me.

 One such child was a little girl I met while I worked at a television station in Illinois. Dirty, hair all over her head- she was about 10. I told her what the story was all about. I let her look inside the live truck and then I quizzed her about her life.-what school she attended- what she wanted to be when she grew up. She lived with her grandmother, although her mom was alive. I felt a connection with that child that night -gave her my business card and told her if she ever needed help to call me. She did one night and I spoke to her grandmother and told her I wanted to become a big sister. She agreed. 

 I took the child shopping-I bought her her first bra- told her about good hygiene-took her to dinner and church. Sometimes, our outings consisted of me cramming as much knowledge as I could into her about life-I was so worried of what this child would become-who might take advantage of her-she lived in such a dysfunctional environment. I wanted her to succeed. But life wasn't kind to her. She often ran away-called me at all times of the night and just couldn't keep her head above water and stay out of trouble. Then I moved to a new job in New York and of course couldn't take her with me.

We separated-I cried, she cried. 18 years later she calls me, wants to come live with. She now has a child who like her is being raised by a relative. My heart dropped because the cycle continues. 

 In Jonesville, Ms. where I traveled for a story on poverty, I met three sisters, 7, 9, and 10. I did a story on how despite the poverty they faced, they were detemined to be singers, 'superstars' as they put it. I let them sing for me and we recorded it and marveled at their (all three sisters) strong singing voices, their manners, discipline, good hygiene, great grades, you name it, despite the poverty that surrounded them.  I met their mom and the oldest sister and I became pen pals. I sent her money for summer clothes and today she "texted" me to say she is putting the money in a bank account and wants to help people in Darfur. She named all the clubs she is in at school and told me how excited she is about school. She is being raised by a single parent- and her grandmother plays a major role in her life. I've told her she can be anything she wants and that I would help her all that I could. What a contrast in the lives of these two girls-why did one thrive and the other not? What more could I have done to help the first one? Were they my kids, even though I wasn't their natural mother? Should I care what happens to them?  My answer is simple. Yes.

Elaine