THE
P RTAL
April 2012
Page 10
Here am I Lord
The Portal talks to Jackie
“There was an old woman
who lived in a shoe
She had so many children
she didn’t know what to do”
Well, she
is not old and she does not live in a shoe,
but she had plenty of children and one suspects that she knows
exactly what to do.
Jackie, a member of her local Ordinariate Group, need us? There is no hesitation, I need them. It will be
has had six children of her own, and they have given a sad day when the last one leaves.”
her four Grandchildren so far. She and husband Alan
live in the Midlands.
“Most of our
They have adopted
children have special
one child with
needs and there is no
special needs and
retirement age. We
are
hoping
to
keep going as long
adopt its sibling.
as we are physically
They have three
fit. As long as I am
Foster
Children
fit, I can do it until
now, and have had
I die. This is why we
another six over the
have Special Needs
years. In addition
children; I need
they have helped
them and their love.”
a further twenty
three children over
“Would I change
a thirteen year
anything in my life?
period. As if this
No. Alan has to have
were not enough
his smoke outside.
they have three cats
He does not do it
and a stray one that
in the house or in
visits when it is cold
the car. But there
and hungry. “These
are not many other
animals know a soft
sacrifices that we
touch when they see one” Jackie said.
have had to make.”
In fact they have had so many children that they had
to move to a larger house. This made problems as it
is in a different local authority area from the one for
which they work, but they cope as they do with most
things.
“I can stay at home as full-time Mother. The rate of
pay is exceptional, so I can stay at home. When we
started I needed to work to make ends meet. Not now.
Mind you I have helped help with the local Play Group
and am on the Mother’s Rota. Also I am a Committee
member of our local Residents Association. The grass
They now live on the edge of a large city in a lovely does not grow under my feet!”
house that they have improved and extended. The
house is always full of fun and laughter. Love exudes
“I was a Hairdresser and had my own Salon for a
from every wall. It is a safe place, one can feel it so.
time. I am Computer Literate and did some time as
Office Manager for a Computer maintaince firm.”
“Why do we do it? Instinct I suppose. The question
is of course do we need the children or do the children
“At the age of three I was taken to the Church of Christ