I refer to the letter Federal Court didn't deny Joy her right . Abu Mubarak related his experience:

'When I was studying in the US, my pregnant wife was entitled to free food coupons under a Women and Infant Food Programme, a programme sponsored by the state's public funds. She was required to get the coupons from a local church and attend a 'counselling session' with the church's officer before collecting the coupons. We went to the church to collect the coupons and we took this as an administrative issue rather than an issue of faith.'

I'm not partial to welfare and as such don't have the first hand knowledge as per his account. What I do know is that food stamps, benefits for infants, help for single mothers and unemployment benefits all fall under the purview of Department of Human Services in all the respective US states.

Alarm bells were sounding off in my mind reading through his letter within the paragraph highlighted. As I read and comprehend, the food coupons/stamps he received were a state funded initiative. Secondly, he had to go to a church to receive the said benefits upon a 'counselling session'.

He is completely oblivious that he inadvertently received aid from a church group as the Department of Human Services certainly don't run their affairs in association with the clergy or any religious groupings. The state legislature of that US state would be up in arms if his account were true - a state-funded programme being administered by a church and handed out by a church officer no less. Out goes the notion of separation of state and religion.

Further input and clarification on the writer's part would be helpful and informative.