Home Away From Home

I grew up as the youngest of five siblings in a loving family that was close knit, generous and hospitable. My family was very protective of me. My Mom used to say that I was shy and needed someone to look after me. Like any mother would, she accompanied me when I moved into the Mother’s Choice dormitory in 1988. 

I have three older brothers.  One of them was a policeman and one day, he and his colleagues showed up at the dormitory building with some eggs for us. Apparently, they had been given some eggs at work that day and had decided to donate them to the girls.  I didn’t know the real intention of his visit that day, but I suspect it was because my family still didn’t really understand about the work that I was doing and wanted to be reassured that I was working in a safe environment. 

They also did not realize that I was not shy when I was away from home. When I was in school, for instance, I was a natural leader. I just didn’t have the chance to shine at home with so many older siblings. Family plays a very important part in shaping a person, but once you become a young adult, you can still explore your personality away from home. 

When I was a young adult trying to figure out who I really was, I found Mother’s Choice, and it gave me a platform to reach my fullest potential and to be a strong voice for children to be in family. In particular, I met many foreigners at the office and developed strong relationships with many of them. Through my entire life, the two people who have influenced me the most are my mother, and Helen Stephens, one of the cofounders of Mother’s Choice.  My family trusted me, and they let me be my most authentic self and I am so thankful to them – my biological family and my Mother’s Choice family.