Help Pregnant Patients during Coronavirus Pandemic

Thank you for your kind support of this project to help our pregnant women and postpartum mothers, and their families, during these times of hardship in the Philippines. Most of our patients do not own a car, and public transportation became very expensive during the pandemic. In addition, we are still helping families with food as needed, and we drive the new families home in our ambulance after they have recovered from birth.

Jem is a woman who expressed appreciation for the extra care and concern. She says that having a baby during a global pandemic was scary for her, but the midwives at the Mercy In Action sponsored birth center were kind and helpful and kept all safety precautions and protocols to keep her and her baby safe. She says "Maraming Salamat Po", meaning "Thank you very much!" 

Please be assured that your donations are making a difference, now more than ever. 

Blessings and love from the Mercy In Action team,

Vicki

Links:

• Mercy In Action website

Dear Supporters and Friends of Mercy In Action,

So many Christmas blessings are being passed on to new mothers, babies, families, and the hard working midwives in the Philippines thanks to your generous donations! 

Blessings #1: Health: Because of the excellent maternity healthcare being delivered free of charge in Mercy In Action sponsored birth centers, babies are being born healthier, and birthing mothers are having fewer childbirth complications. These excellent outcomes are due to the evidence-based, safe and respectful midwifery model of care that is available to all

Blessing #2: Availability: Our birth centers are open 24/7. When the patients can't get to us due to lockdowns and a nationwide shortage of public transportation options, we get to them with home visits. And when labor starts we can go anywhere to get them in our Mercy In Action vehicles. If a problem arises, our ambulance gets them to the hospital, and when they are ready to go home, we give them a ride home.

Blessing #3: Nourishment: Our Mercy In Action birth centers give food bags to new parents when they discharge with their new baby, as well as making a food pantry available during each clinic visit. This is important right now because the pandemic still rages in the Philippines and many people cannot find work to support their families during these hard times. Food makes all the difference in keeping a family healthy and well.

Blessing #4: Staff Support: Our birth centers recruit and retain a dedicated staff of midwives and support people because we ensure they will be safe, secure, respected, and enabled to provide good quality, personalized care to women and newborns in a positive work environment. In December we give a 13th month blessing to all staff, which is a bonus equal to a month's wages. 

Blessing #5: Love and Prayers: The goal at all Mercy In Action birth centers is for the pregnant mother to feel loved, supported, and cared for - physically, emotionally, and spiritually. We do this by prioritizing whole-person care, and realizing that there are many factors and elements in the pursuit of true health.

Thank you for your donations that have enabled us to bless the families in our community in new and creative ways during the pandemic, as well as support our midwife staff with excellence as they are called upon to take on new and unexpected challenges. 

Please continue to support this project! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours,

Vicki for the Mercy In Action team in the Philippines

Links:

• Mercy In Action website