January 18-21, 2014

A Creole Proverb…
“Fanm pou you tan, manman pou tout tan.”
“Wife for a time, mother for all time.”

The Jesus Healing Center is a life-saving community healthcare center in Fond Parisien, Haiti.

 

It provides care to thousands of poor Haitians living in our area and beyond. One area where we are making great health improvements is providing care for pregnant mothers and their children.

 

 

Remember that these pregnant women usually give birth in a mud hut on a dirt floor.

 

 

It is very primitive, dangerous and unsanitary. These births have caused so many problems and even death in some cases.

 

Carole Stufflebeam, our Jesus Healing Center Medical Administrator, has worked to make “home births” safer, easier and more sanitary.

 

 

It is just amazing how small measures can make for better outcomes. Carole has created two simple kits that we use to save the lives of new mothers and their babies. One is a Birthing Kit…

 

 

 

 

and the other is a Baby Kit.

 

 

 

 

We give Birthing Kits to expectant mothers a few weeks before the baby’s due date, and the Baby Kit is given when the new mother brings her baby to the Jesus Healing Center for his or her first appointment.

 

 

It is our goal to keep these two kits in stock at the clinic so we can give them out to expectant mothers.

 

All expectant mothers must attend educational classes that teach the importance of sanitary deliveries and good hygiene for their babies. This information is very simple, but most Haitian women do not understand the importance of these practices. All of us at the Jesus Healing Center urge the future mothers to follow our program in order to promote safe deliveries and help keep their babies healthy. At these classes we also stress the importance of getting their babies enrolled in the vaccination program.

 

 

 

 

These educational classes help to prevent deaths from infection. Working with these mothers through both classes and one-on-one provides for better health and is a great time for the staff members to bond with the mothers. This bonding is important because it lets new mothers know that someone cares about them and gives them hope for the future. They leave our clinic striving to be better mothers. 

 

 

 

Remember our Creole Proverb…“Espwa fe viv.” “Hope gives life.”

 

 

 

Recently, Petima and his father Pierre came to the Jesus Healing Center for help. Petima’s mother died shortly after childbirth from an infection and Pierre did not know how to care for his baby. Pierre felt that Petima was not well because he was 9 months old, weighed only 23 lbs and didn’t sit or stand.

 

 

 

 

Dr. Jean Claude Mardy examined him and agreed he was malnourished and Petima was enrolled into our malnutrition program at the center. Petima’s father was able to attend his first class on hygiene and nutrition for his little one. If Petima’s mother had been to the clinic before his birth, she may not have died and Petima would likely be in better health. These kits give mothers a reason to walk the long distance to come to our clinic for care.

 

However, our supply of these kits is very low! We need to replenish our supply so we can continue to give these kits out to expectant mothers in our area.

 

You can help this very important life-saving program by making up kits to send to Haiti. This is a great church project and would help to save the lives of many poor women and their babies in Fond Parisien and beyond.

Here are the items included in each Birthing Kit:

4 X 4 gauze
Tie cord
2″ X 12″ fabric for belly binder
Safety pin to secure belly binder
1 pair of gloves
Single edge razor
Kotex sanitary pads
Receiving blanket
Cloth diaper
One piece outfit for infant
Hat
Optional – cute gift package

Below is a photo of a Birthing Kit.

 

 

Here are the items included in the Baby Kits:

Baby powder
Baby body wash
Baby shampoo
Baby lotion
Wash cloth

Below is a photo of the items included in a Baby Kit.

 

These kits are desperately needed. If you and your church can make these kits, please send them to our office in Fort Myers, FL, and they will be put in a container to ship to Haiti. Please send the completed kits to the following address:

 

Attn: Carole (Birthing Kits)
Love A Child, Inc.
12411 Commerce Lakes Drive
Fort Myers, FL  33913

 

If you have questions, please call our office at 239-210-6107 and one of our staff members will help you.

Thank you for helping the poorest of the poor.

Love,

Sherry