I have been living in Ireland since January 2005. I came here, freshly married, with a good job opportunity in my pocket and full of hope and happiness, with a heart full of curiosity for a country I had never been to before.

 

I had no idea that this, all this, could change in an instant! Being blessed quickly with my first child and having her here, we were quickly established, with good jobs, a beautiful house in a very nice area, everything was perfect.

 

It was quite a rainy and cold January evening, my daughter was just two weeks old, when I heard for the first time the other side of my ex-husband and when he left me with no notice, bag of debts, not one Euro in my pocket and a whole background of lies and deceit. Even though I am European, I was a foreigner in the country, had no support at all and felt totally alone and overwhelmed.

 

Being in a situation feeling like that with financial burden and emotional issues and still in a state of shock I fell into depression. With a newborn child I fought for my family life to get together again and after one year of running around and not knowing, the whole puzzle came together in October 2006.

 

I isolated myself with the feeling of desperation and a big part also was being ashamed to be a single parent. Living in a lovely estate, with the picture perfect families I became an exotic in one minute.

 

I was at the end; I was so down that I wanted to take my life.

 

One summer day I was so low that I took out the phone directory and looked for someone to talk to. As I was not successful after a time of searching and investigating I called Parentline. I broke down and told them I need help otherwise I do not know a way out; and they referred me to One Family.

 

I remember my first contact like it was yesterday. I talked with the counsellor and from the first moment I felt at home. She told me about the free counselling service in the organisation and also the free childcare facility onsite.

 

I needed a few pushes by myself to overcome the feeling of embarrassment and shame of being a lone parent and having failed to be a NORMAL family…

 

What I want to tell and emphasize here, is that it is a FACT that One Family saved my life in many ways. The person I am now is because of One Family.

 

I learnt the most important things and tools here in this organization. Today I am proud of being a lone parent, knowing in my heart that my daughter and me we are a family.

 

I did all the courses: Positive Parenting, Family Communication, and New Starts. I joined the social group and I even went on the annual summer holiday with them.

 

It was so important to recognize that there are many women in my situation, who have passed similar situations and also went through hell and survived that.

 

The courses are not called self-development courses for nothing because I learned so much about me and my inside. The same is true for my daughter. With me isolated she had big difficulties in the beginning in the crèche. But with the fabulous staff of the crèche and their loving and professional care my daughter made an incredible step in her development. I can’t tell enough how good they are.

My weeks, my months, my 2 years were built around One Family, their support, information and encouragement. Step by step I found back my self-confidence and I started getting my head up in a totally new way.

 

Now it is 2008 and I stand at a turning point in my life. In two weeks time I will be moving to another county to get my feet back on the ground. It is the start of a new life. My daughter will be in a community crèche and I have already jobs lined up. It’s still exhausting, but I now have the strength and the courage to start again.

 

Finally, I want to emphasize again, that One Family saved my life, made me what I am now and where I stand now. In the difficult time I asked heaven for a sign to help me out of this hell…and he showed me One Family.

 

God bless you all and just go on with your fantastic work, we lone parents need you.