Sometimes we pray for help, we pray to be "bailed out" of a situation that seems to be looking gloomier and gloomier all the time. After a while, even without admitting it, we may start to gently give up the expectation that our prayers will be answered in the end, but because of our faith we do not give up hope, and so we persist in praying anyhow...because, "you never know...."

In December of 2005, we thought our After School Program was going to be cancelled because of a lack of funding. The After School Program has been a valuable asset of our parish community for years, serving the needs of around 40 children who come to our Parish Hall each afternoon to do their homework. These children are assisted by high school tutors from St. Anthony's High School, and the program is supervised by two teachers. When the children have satisfactorily completed their homework, they are given permission to play basketball, board games, work or play on computers, or do arts and crafts. They get to do things they want to do with their friends and peers in a positive environment that they share together. A highlight of the program has always been snack time: cookies and juice are always appreciated by the youngsters after a long day at school! We felt it would be a shame for all of our local children to lose a program that has clear cut benefits and advantages for kids in such an age of academic competitiveness. But the reality was, our budget was being squeezed, and the economics of the situation pointed to discontinuation of the program.

Naturally, everyone involved wanted very much to continue the program. One individual connected to the program wrote to friends kindly asking for donations, in lieu of personal Christmas gifts, to keep the program alive. Prayers were prayed and fingers crossed, but really, nobody knew what was going to happen next. But, amazingly, people came through in the clutch. We ended up receiving in gifts was almost exactly what was needed to keep the After School Program running! And now, for 2006, we've received funding through the county to cover our costs and keep the program operating, going forward. In this instance, it was clear that love and generosity enabled a small miracle to happen! The children will continue to receive help with their homework, will be able to productively spend time with friends after school, and-(hopefully!) they'll all be doing better academically too.

Lilly’s Lesson--The Transforming Power of Love
--as told by Mary Allen

The situations and challenges facing the people we see at the Gerald Ryan Outreach Center all vary in the details. But the common theme in each and every case is this: they all expect that the Church will help them. They may not be too familiar with the Gospel of Matthew, or understand why we work so hard to assist them, but they know that when things get tough, they can come to us. And of course, that’s fine...for Jesus never required a "background check" before healing or providing food, and other forms of compassion. In the same spirit, I am always guided by the principle that no one should ever leave the Outreach Center feeling that we were unable to offer some sort of meaningful help.

Everyone we come in contact with is treated with dignity and respect, and even if we are unable to provision exactly what it is they need, we always supply them with the critical information they need so they can get assistance from the government or another charitable agency. They are always shown that they are not alone, and that there really are people who care about the difficulties they are facing. For every soul who enters the Outreach Center door, there is not just a smile and questions concerning what kind of help is needed. There is also a feeling of comfort, support, and hope for everyone, no matter who they are, or what they have been going through.

Lillian LaTerre (a fictional name, to protect privacy) is a woman who has lived in Wyandanch her entire life- a life that has seen a good deal of trouble since the beginning. As a 10th grader, Lilly became pregnant and was forced to leave high school. Her life changed permanently, and she went on to have three more children. Soon, her children were taken from her and put into foster care. Lilly was arrested for drug possession and solicitation. She served 6 months in jail, and then was released to a shelter. However dire her predicament may have seemed, Lilly decided to repair her life. She spent a year in rehab programs and took education courses that eventually led to earning her GED. That is when she came to us at the Gerald Ryan Outreach Center, seeking help and guidance. She really had no idea how to re-start her life; and because of her love for them, she wanted her children back We talked over the many steps she would need to take before being ready to provide a safe and stable home for those kids. We helped support and guide Lilly in terms of parenting, finding work, and securing good, affordable housing. At this time her oldest child was exhibiting some extreme behaviors, and we were also able to advise Lilly about the counseling that could help address his needs.

In the middle of one discussion we had, Lilly looked me straight in the eye and said, "I can’t do all this...How am I supposed to do this? I don’t have nobody. I have no money. I’m never going to be able to do any of this." I looked back at her and said: "If you don’t want to, then that’s one thing-but if you want to, and you tell me that you really want it, then we will work together. And you not only will do it, but we will help you every single step of the way. We’ll be right here with you." Lilly agreed to try. The first step would be meeting with our JOBS counselor.

We set up an appointment. Lilly came in on a Tuesday and spent an hour with the counselor. From internet research we determined she could take the civil service exam. She began meeting weekly with our volunteer to review what she might encounter on the test, and how to prepare. Meanwhile, we also set her up with an application for Social Services assistance, as her children would need medical coverage. And she would be needing food stamps too, as well as some form of rental assistance. Waiting for these legitimate applications to be approved was perhaps the most daunting part of the entire process for Lilly. It can be very discouraging to spend hours sitting in a waiting room, only to be sent away to gather more data and proof of your status. But three and a half months later, Lilly was finally approved.

At the "beginning of the end" of her long ordeal, Lillian LaTerre landed a job with a county office as a clerk. Soon after, she came in to visit us. Lilly had pride shining in her eyes, and a smile bigger and brighter than the sun on a summer day. We sent her upstairs to the "clothing mall" and our wonderful (irreplaceable!) volunteers helped her pick out clothing that would be suitable for work- from our "Dress for Success" rack: a business suit, slacks, dress blouse, shoes, and even a briefcase were among the items she chose.

Throughout this whole process, Lilly had been meeting with Child Protective Service representatives and attending parenting classes at a Babylon Town counseling program. Next, agency approval finally came through for her apartment, and she was soon to be reunited with her children after months of supervised visits, home visits, and counseling with her kids. Thanks to donations from parishioners (and from other generous Long Islanders) we were able to provide Lilly with beds, mattresses, pots and pans, kitchen items and many other things that would be needed set up a home for this amazing family.

This past Christmas, 2005, as we set up for our annual Christmas food and gift distribution, Lilly came in with her children, looking incredibly happy. They who had been in such need not long ago were now coming in to give back to the community in whatever way they could. Lilly’s kids helped pack food boxes and sort toys. Mom helped in the food distribution. What an awesome journey this woman had made. All told, it had been almost two years, but backed by the great support and encouragement of so many caring OLMM volunteers, we worked through the tears, the disappointments, and the many obstacles so many of the indigent must face. And as Lilly reminded us, there are quite a few less fortunate people in this world who refuse to give up-and now we were seeing a stronger, more assured woman who was starting to look ahead....and stressing the importance of education to her children. Where once, the most important thing to Lilly was getting more crack to get high, now there was a mature woman whose top priority is loving and caring for her children.

We still assist Lilly on occasion with food, since Social Services actually isn’t really enough to supplement what her family needs on a regular basis. But Lilly’s future keeps looking brighter. She is attending Suffolk Community College now, and the real possibility of becoming completely self-sufficient is getting closer all the time.