This
than believed. And
they misunderstand
how God values
them,” she explains.
She prays that the
love of the Holy
Spirit will run wild
in the house, leading women to ask
“Why is this house
different? Will you
pray for me?”
Challenges remain nonetheless.
Many women choose
to return to abusive
relationships. One
woman has sought
refuge nine times in
10 years, bruises on
her face giving evidence of her situation.
In February 2008,
another woman
planning to end her
abusive relationship
was found in a ravine, murdered.
The work can also
be rewarding, especially seeing God at
work in tangible ways. Wasyliw recalls a
six-year-old boy arriving on a day when
the donation closet was barely stocked
– and finding the only shoes were his
size. Such provision is “a God-thing
day after day,” she says. Wasyliw also
recalls women who rejected “spiritual
things” while at the shelter later becoming Christians.
Her work “is not about women
leaving a relationship in failure,” says
Wasyliw. “It’s about women with courage coming for help.” One resident
summed it up: “No one ever loved me
like this.”
Wasyliw now serves as the first female president of the B.C./Yukon
FEBC, where she is chair of the board.
She and her husband attend Maple
Ridge Baptist Church.
–CHARLENE DE HAAN
ConnECTinG povERty and fAmIly BREAKdown
Canadian governments need to give more consideration to the reality that family
breakdown is a root cause of inequality and poverty, according to speakers at a
conference held by the institute of marriage and Family Canada (imFC).
“Family is the best welfare system we have, but Canada is failing to
give it proper attention,” says dave Quist of ottawa, executive director
of the institute, an outgrowth of the ministry Focus on the Family. imFC
( www.imfc.org) sponsors the event annually in march to discuss how
family policy affects social justice.
This year’s keynote speaker was iain duncan smith, former leader
of the British Conservative Party. smith addressed 100 delegates from
governments, academic think-tanks, social agencies and the public.
he called the gathering “timely” in “a period of deep-rooted economic instability.”
dave Quist
smith, founder of the Centre for social Justice (CsJ), discussed five
“pathways to poverty” identified by the group in partnership with other organizations
in Britain’s poorest communities. These pathways include educational breakdown, eco-
nomic dependency and worklessness, serious personal indebtedness, addiction, and
family breakdown.
CsJ research suggests that British children who do not grow up in a two-parent family
are 75 per cent more likely to fail in school, 70 per cent more likely to be drug addicts, 50
per cent more likely to develop an alcohol problem and 40 per cent more likely to have
serious issues with personal debt.
as a result, said smith in his conference remarks, we must “once again recognize family,
in particular marriage, not as an add-on or an ideal in a healthy nation but a foundation.”
additional research from statistics Canada confirms that 32 per cent of single-
parent families were living in poverty in 2006 compared to 7. 7 per cent of two-parent
families.
“we can’t gloss over the statistical evidence,” says Quist. “The idea that social justice and the family are linked is new in Canada. a correct policy response would have
lasting positive effects for all Canadians.” n –MARY LOU HARRISON
Private Schoolers Better Off: Study
Children in a private or home ting upset easily” were at least 10 per cent
school are between 20 to 40 higher in separate schools than in public,
per cent less likely to use drugs, but rates of parental separation/divorce
smoke, drink alcohol or feel suicidal, ac- and drug dealing were at least 10 per cent
cording to a recent study by the Christian higher in public schools than in separate.
Commitment research institute. around The data suggests private/home
30 per cent more of them also reported school children were 30 to 50 per cent
they like doing things for others and they more likely than average to be from a
are very happy with their life. conservative Christian family, worship
For his monograph 48, statistician weekly, rarely be alone, watch an hour or
Frank Jones used data from statistics Can- less Tv and videos per day, attend school
ada referring to children in 1995, when without missing, be involved in a weekly
they began school, and on the same chil- club, do well in school and take weekly
dren in 2003, at high school age. art lessons among others.
The data also looked at separate Public schoolers were average
schools, which are publically funded reli- in most categories, although well
gious schools such as the ontario roman belo w average in weekly worship.
Catholic system. more details at www.ccri.ca/rcm48he.
rates of smoking, teen sex and “get- html. n –BILL FLEDDERUS
