Posted on 12/24/2004 6:10:16 PM PST by jb6
12-23-04
From Staff Reports
Posted 2:05 p.m.
ELIZABETH CITY (AP) — The director of a homeless shelter says he was right to evict a 21-year-old pregnant woman and her three children after the woman violated one of the shelter's rules by allowing her children's uncle to visit in her room.
"We have to have order," said the Rev. Oliver S. Robinson, director of the Tabernacle of Faith Church Outreach Center. "She herself created this situation. She is a young woman who does not want to listen to anybody. And it don't matter what time of year it is, winter time, Christmas time, cold time or whatever."
Valan Garland and her three boys were evicted Tuesday from the shelter, where they had stayed for about four months while waiting for an income-based apartment to open. She paid $50 a month as a donation.
On Tuesday, however, she broke one of the shelter's strict rules, Garland said. The paternal aunt and uncle of her three children came to visit their nephews. When the shelter's caretaker, Rhonda O'Neal, returned, Garland says she realized there was a man in her room.
Garland said she asked the couple to continue their visit outside, which they did. But Robinson told Garland she had to leave, giving until 9 a.m. Wednesday to vacate.
"These are not the easiest people to deal with," Robinson said of shelter clients. "We have to have rules and order."
Garland, eight months pregnant, began crying as she strapped her children into their car seats after loading the trunk of her car with belongings. She then left with Xavier, 1, Javonte, 3, and T'Keel, 5, still in their bedclothes.
At least until Christmas, the family plans to stay with Garland's mother in a one-room apartment in Edenton.
The two-story shelter has been a soup kitchen since 1996. In 1998 also became a shelter for women and children. The approximately 2,000-square-foot building has 10 beds in two apartments and a loft.
Garland sees no parallels between her situation and that of the biblical Mary and Joseph, who couldn't find any place to stay for the night on what's considered the first Christmas Eve.
"I don't know if I feel like this is related to Jesus and Mary," Garland said. "But I do feel like it has something to do with the devil. The devil has to put it in your heart to put children out in the night three days before Christmas."
Robinson said his shelter is a credit to the community.
"These people need tough love," Robinson said. "I don't feel comfortable with it. God don't get no pleasure punishing us. But he does it. Jesus would have done the same thing."
Why doesn't the author state the obvious. Where is the father?
She has a mother with an apartment, and an uncle, who lives somewhere, and a car to get around with. Sounds to me like she isn't going to freeze to death and neither are her children.
Maybe she could do something radical, like her social worker could arrange for childcare while she went to work. After 4 months "waiting for housing," I would bet this incident is the last straw, not the first.
Jeez, dude, have a heart.
"Garland sees no parallels between her situation and that of the biblical Mary and Joseph"
me either.
This is as bad as the 32 people evicted from a church in Springfield MO. Regardless of where the father is, this wasn't right.
She has aunts and uncles to stay with. If she was so poor - how much was her car worth? Wanna bet she has a cell phone?
According to the latest economic reports from the E.U., Germany has just surpassed the economy of Arkansas (the poorest state in the USA - usually) Our "poor", if they moved to the EU, would be in the TOP 10% richest in europe!!
I do not feel sorry for 90% of our "poor". They have a hell of a lot more than I did 20 years ago.
A good portion of your typical occupants are alcoholic, drug addicted or mentally ill. Many have trouble living by the rules (which is usually why they are there in the first place.) In that sort of environment, unfortunately, you can't start making exceptions and there have to be consistent consequences. She knew the rule, she broke it, she's out.
Also, according to the manager, this lady has caused a lot of trouble and friction in this shelter. The management may appear heartless, but they have their other clients to look out for.
I don't get what the big problem was.
I don't think so bub!
They probably used that as an excuse for evicting her.
21 y/o with 3 childern and one on the way....wow.. that is alot to deal with......
Likely answer--which one?
Wow! Ummmm... Not to be a scrooge or anything, but I think she needs to take a good hard look at her situation before she decides to pop out anymore children.
As unfortunate as this sounds... I wouldn't be surprised if this news story gets her kids taken away from her by Social Services.
Anyone want to take odds that in this case it's fathers? If any two of those children had the same father, I'd be amazed.
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