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"there was no room for them in the inn"
Luke 2:7


This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit.  Matthew 1:18


So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.  Luke 2:16-20

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FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

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General Questions


Who is Mary? 

Mary is the name of the earthly mother of Jesus Christ.  When Jesus was born, Mary was without a place to stay, so she gave birth to Jesus in a stable.  There is currently no one by the name of Mary living in Mary's House.  (...and yes, the accomodations at Mary's House are a bit less humble than a stable!)

Where is Mary's House?

Mary's House is located in a rural area near the Frederick County / Carroll County border in Maryland.  Please call or E-mail us if you would like to visit, and we will gladly furnish you with our address and directions:

Jodi Sell
 410-848-0853
 jodisell@verizon.net 

Bea Laneve
 301-845-1234 discom@rcn.com
 

Who funds Mary's House?

The Mary's House property and house was donated by the Laneve's, and is funded thru regular contributions from several area Christian churches, and donations from many organizations throughout the Frederick and Carroll County communities.  We are NOT affiliated with any specific Christian denomination. 

How can I help/donate to Mary's House?

You should find everything you need to know about how you can donate your time or money to Mary's House at  I want to help Mary's House / donate.

Why do girls typically come to Mary's House?

Typically, when parents or boyfriends give girls the "get an abortion or 'hit the road'" ultimatum, they choose 'hit the road', and come to Mary's House.  They have better choices here!

Where else can I read about Mary's House?

We have had articles written about us in both the Carroll County Times and Frederick News Post.  Refer to the following links for copies of those articles:
 (If you cannot open the above documents, you may need to download and install Acrobat Reader from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html.)
Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.  Jude 1:21

Questions from Girls


How long can I stay at Mary's House?

Girls should figure on being able to stay for about 1 year.   Some have stayed a few months longer, and some a few months less.

Can spouses/boyfriends stay?

Our goal is to serve single+homeless+pregnant women; we do NOT have accomodations for men.  Visitations by boyfriends are permissible, but must be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Where do I go when I leave Mary's House?

We assist girls with finding future housing, but the details vary on a case-by-case basis.  In the past, we have seen girls go on to rent apartments (with HUD assistance), move back with relatives, and even get married.  We are actively working to build up a network of people willing to provide transitional housing.  One of our dreams is to rennovate the storage building next door, where we would have room for 4 additional bedrooms, but this will be at least a few more years in coming.

Can I bring my multiple children with me to stay at Mary's House?

In general, no, but there have been exceptions.  Our aim is to help girls with their FIRST pregnancy.  We can only determine this for sure on a case-by-case basis, however.  Keep in mind that all of your children will need to share a single room with you, and that room is fairly small.

Are pets allowed?

Sorry, no pets.

Can you help me with addictions or other mental disorders?

We do not have the resources to deal with addictions or mental disorders at Mary's House, so girls with such problems will not be able to stay at Mary's House.  But we can help refer girls with such problems to other agencies who may be able to help.

How much does it cost to stay at Mary's House?

There is no up-front or monthly cost to live at Mary's House, nor are there any costs for food or utilities.  In some situations, we may need to be "extremely persuasive" in "convincing" girls to take advantage of their stay at Mary's House to save up some money, so they have something to build on when they leave.

If I live at Mary's House and have not yet graduated, where will I go to high school?

Students attend high school at Francis Scott Key High School (see FSK Home Page or stats), which is less than 5 miles away.

Where do I store all my belongings when I come to Mary's House?

We have very limited storage space at Mary's House.  Each girl can store as many belongings as she wishes in her bedroom, but other than that, there really is very little space.  Any girl having more belongings will need to make arrangements to store her  extra belongings elsewhere during her stay at Mary's House.

What is it like to live at Mary's House?

You will be living in a small family environment, along with up to 2 other pregnant girls and 3-4 other school-age kids.  We try to treat girls just as if they were our own children.  We have simple rules, but nothing you wouldn't expect in a normal family, e.g., "if you make a mess, clean it up", "get along with and respect each other", "be home by so-and-so time", etc., those types of things.  We strive for "normalcy", with as little "drama" as possible.

What's the "catch"?

There is NO catch.  We simply recognize that unwanted pregnancies are a HUGE problem in our society, and we want to help in any way we can.