‘I went from trying to plan a visit to our son’s birth mom in prison, to reassuring her, ‘Everything will be okay.’ She is still a mom. And she’s hurting.’: Foster mom reminds us not to forget about those in prison, ‘A hard life just got harder’

“‘Is it really that bad out there?’

‘Yeah, it’s pretty scary and people just don’t know what to expect. How are you holding up?’

‘I’m okay. Just lonely and they don’t give us much information.’

I try to explain to her that this is for the best. It had to happen.

But the reality is, my heart is heavy. I went from trying to plan the next time we could visit our son’s birth mom in prison, to reassuring her things would be okay.

Suddenly, all physical contact from the outside world was stopped. Visitation rooms typically filled with families excited to see their loved ones are empty.

I get it. Inmates are there because of a bad choice (typically), an addiction they couldn’t kick, or a need they decided had to be met. It’s not a population we think of to feel ‘sorry’ for.

I probably would have thought the same 6 months ago. I wouldn’t have been worried about our incarcerated population during this time at all. In fact, I would’ve assumed it was for the best.

But everything changed when I took the time to reach out and get to know someone different than me. When I allowed myself to become invested in someone on a much different path.

She is still a mom. And she is still hurting. And lonely. This has been such a harsh reminder of how quickly things can change.

Another forgotten population during this time is our foster kids. Suddenly they can’t visit their parents. Their once crowded visitation rooms are also empty.

Can you imagine being ten years old and looking forward to Mondays at 2:00 because you know you can hug your mom, only to have that ripped away? It doesn’t matter what you think about these parents, the kids don’t deserve this.

Our most vulnerable populations are even more vulnerable right now: our elderly, inmates, and those already marginalized by society. A hard life just got a lot harder.

Things can change in an instant. Plans fall through, people may become sick, and visits get canceled. Hang on to the constants during this time. Cling to the hope that only comes from Christ. Don’t put off for tomorrow what should be done today.”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Tamra Norman. Follow her on Instagram here. Do you have a similar experience? We’d like to hear your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.

Read more stories from Tamra here: 

‘Hey, Mrs. Norman. Can you take a 4lb premature baby? We really need a place for him to go.’ Newborn? Baby? Preemie? ‘Are you sure you’re asking the right family?!’: Woman unexpectedly gets call to foster preemie baby

‘I wiped away tears and quit ignoring the calls from CPS. 30 minutes after I told my 1st grade students goodbye, I had a 4-week-old baby placed in my arms.’: Mom says fostering journey is ‘nothing like I imagined’

‘This virus is basically just a cold.’ School is canceled, our spring break trip isn’t happening. I’m looking at lots of time home with 5 kids.’: In the midst of coronavirus panic, mom urges ‘use this time to show kindness’

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