Lutheran Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing - Yearbook (Chicago, IL)

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Lift Up Your Eyes Glimpses of Sister Carollinels T Work ' Sister Caroline Willianis, Child Welfare worker in Illinois for the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, is a well known and well beloved Deaconess whose work f takes her tothe juvenile court almost every day. This is the children's court room. To this place defenseless or neg' lected children are taken. Here is one of the most im' portant places for the work of our church, 'especially in the larger cities. Sister Caroline has made many a home happy by bringf ing a homeless child to people who had no children of their ownl Many are those who thankv God for the little orf phans given to them. Not long ago the case of T an eight months old baby was . brought to her attention. This baby had been born in one of - the Chicago hospitals fnot our ownj. The mother died and the trusted to her care by the Juvenile Court child WHS deserted by its father. The hospital cared for the baby for eight months when it was brought into court. The court learned that the parents were Lutherans and so committed it to the Lutheran Home Finding Society. Sister Caroline investigated the case and found that the relatives were willing to place the child for adoption. She knew of a couple who wanted to adopt a child and so arrangements were made and on the date set, the child was brought to court. The baby's relatives were there too, but they were in another part of the court room and were regarded merely as spectators and were assured that all was well. Sister Caroline with three children en- Page Seventeen

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Lift Up 'Your Eyes A group of Day Nursery children at prayer before the afternoon lunch. economically, 178 homes have been helped to help themselves, and their aptitude to call upon the state for help has been lessened. From a small, humble Mission to a stately dwelling with a large surrounding play- ground has been its material advancement. Truly our Master has stamped His favor upon this Work toward His loved ones. The above are a few excerpts from the Lutheran Deaconesss Day Nursery which will give you a slight insight into this great work. The complete booklet will be sent you on request. Page Sixteen

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Lift Up 'Your Eyes When the case was called, the judge committed the baby to the Evangelical Lutheran Home Finding Society with consent to adoption. Sister Caroline was appointed guardian-All during this procedure the expectant foster parents had been out in the waiting room, waiting in fear and trembling-would the door remain closed forever? Momeiits seemed hours to them. All was over, the court room had been cleared and the child's rela' tives had departed. The child was then brought to the foster parents. Their fear and trembling turned to joy. The father was so happy he cried for joy, the mother too shed tears for joy-Yes, even the oiiicers were so moved by the happiness of this couple that they too shed tears -tears of joy-Joyful and happy because this deserted child was to have a real home. Another outstanding incident is the following: One day in the court room Sister Caroline met a mother with two sweet li.ttle girls-- four and tive years of age. She spoke to her and wanted to know if she could be of some help. Yes, said the mother, 'LThese two children, I can't take care of them. I want to give them away. I had them at the Home of .............. but they can't keep them any more. I want to give them away. Upon learning that she was Lutheran, Sister Caroline asked if she would not like to have them under Lutheran care- Oh yes, that she did-but she was not interested further than to give them away. So the children were placed in one of the institutions until investigations could be made. Sister Caroline thought she would visit the home and this she found to be a dirty, filthy house in a back alley. There were many more children but these two girls were not wanted in the house by the step' father, Again our Sister found a home for the two girls, thus rescuing them from a miserable life. A fine Lutheran couple took both of them. The foster mother was so happy and immediately began to sew clothes for them fThe only clothes they had were the ones they worej as for her very own. Some years have passed since this experience. The girls have been legally adopted and are being brought up in a Christian home. The mother has never inquired about her children nor ever gotten' in touch with Sister Caroline. Who can tell what would have become of them if they had not been taken into a fine Christian Home? Page Eighteen