This Mother’s Day morning, I hope that (if you are a mother of littles) you are waking up to breakfast in bed (gluten-free french toast for me, please!) and fresh coffee, or tea, or whatever you prefer most.
I hope that your day is filled with grateful littles who proudly present you with hand-drawn cards full of misspelled words and crayon-colored hearts declaring you to be the best mom in the world.
I hope you’ll quiet the voice in your head that tells you, you aren’t doing enough long enough to believe them – that you are the best mom in the world to your kids. That your mama-heart beats full and proud of the people they are becoming, with your help and guidance.
That you’ll extend the same grace to yourself that you would for others in the times your mama-heart yearns for more than cleaning up messes bigger than you imagined one (or four) little bodies could make, washing mountains of laundry, and cooking food enough to feed a small army.
And when you’re done celebrating the fact that you are Mother, and you are great – – I’d like you to share your amazing gratefulness and joy by supporting another mother thousands and thousands of miles away from you. A mother whose heart also beats for her children and her community at large. A mother who wants to work a job that empowers her with a steady income to provide things for her children that are hard to come by in her neck of the woods. A job that affords her flexibility and a little spending money of her own. A job that not only affects her, but decreases the child-mortality rate in her community by a whopping 25%…. I want you to not only think of her, but be moved to action and donate whatever amount you’re comfortable with here.
I skyped with Evelyn and Sheilah a few weeks ago and was blown away by their humility. I was also struck by the common things women yearn for, whether they are from America or Africa. I listened as Sheilah told me she applied to become a Community Health Promoter (CHP) because it meant she could stay home with her babies. (She had three beautiful girls within four years – bless her heart) She worked in a shop “dealing with garments”, but didn’t want to miss out on raising her children. She wanted to be there for their growing up years, and becoming a CHP made it possible.
I related to her self-doubts – when she first learned she would be doing simple health exams she wondered if she would be able to draw blood and do the things required of a CHP. But now, she says with a huge smile on her face, she does it all the time with no problem.
I chuckled as she shared she’s now able to make choices with the money she makes to spend a little on her family and maybe buy herself a thing or two as well. I know that feeling, too.
I admired her tenacity as she told how many times, going door-to-door educating and serving her community, she is put in the position to prove she’s there for their benefit, to help them, and keep them and their families healthy.
She tells of a woman who was skeptical and accused Sheilah of being a medicine man (or woman) or selling drugs that were past expiration to cheat people. Sheliah assured her that she worked for an NGO and was selling good drugs that were cheaper than going to the clinic in the nearest city. How after treating this woman’s daughter for a fever and following up with her til she was healthy again, she was able to gain the respect and admiration from her community. She is now not only revered, but sought-after.
Six children die every minute in developing countries of treatable, preventable illness. Studies show that number is going down in communities served by CHPs like Evelyn and Sheilah.
There’s another village out there today whose children are dying without accessible healthcare. They don’t have a CHP yet. Living Goods is looking to recruit, train, and equip women to help them, but they need our help.
In a partnership with The Adventure Project, One Day’s Wages, and Living Goods, YOU can impact the lives of 800 people by helping me raise enough money to train one woman. Click over here right now and donate like another reader Becky and my friend Jaye. Make today a day that you join {virtual} hands with another mother and let her know we are in this together.
This campaign ends May 13th and One Day’s Wages will only match our endeavors if we reach $25,0000. Please contribute today. It takes less than five minutes. What are you waiting for?
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