Article November 4, 2002 ISSUE

Can I find a job that really fits?

BY Jutta Dettmar-Rollins

AS A SINGLE MOTHER with two children, I was financially dependent on my work as a substitute teacher in various middle schools in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Substituting meant I was always quickly unemployed again, though, and that was really unpleasant for me. I loved my work—I adjusted quickly to new situations, and I liked the children and my colleagues.

When the six-week summer vacation came around and my substitute teaching was at a standstill, I became terribly depressed. And it wasn't just because of the lack of income. I also felt isolated and alone and shut out. Because I was feeling so sad, I knew I needed God's help.