One Year Ago Today...

“…Ebenezer…thus far the Lord has helped us!” (I Samuel 1:7)

What Were We Doing One Year Ago Today?

• Frantically running around painting and equipping our new facility

• Buying supplies

• Rejoicing in the eleventh hour provision of $ for Casa Compasiva’s first few months of operation

• Praying for a midwife to come on board with us

• Praying for Mexican Christian ladies with an interest in ministry and an interest in birth to begin training as our first doulas

• Preparing for our doula training course that began Jan. 11, 2011

• Designing business cards, posters, etc. to advertise Casa Compasiva

• Getting ready to officially open Casa’s doors on Jan. 17, 2011

• Interviewing and getting to know Greg and Jenny Norris as future Casa co-workers

• Developing relationship with Sherry Bushnell, our God-given mentor and visiting teacher-midwife

• Working out details with Donaji, our beloved doctor who functions as Casa’s medical director and de facto midwife

What Are We Doing Today?

• We are well-established in our beautiful facility which is currently licensed as a clinic with the Secretary of Health.

• We are investigating and praying about the requirements for partial renovation in order to become licensed as an “unidad de tocologia”—an obstetric unit.

• We are holding weekly pre-natal classes, and in the process of streamlining our childbirth education series.

• We are providing volunteer labour support to very needy birthing women at a local government-run hospital.

• We are celebrating the year-long work of four excellent doulas, three of whom are beginning their apprenticeship courses as midwives-in-training with us; one of whom is choosing to continue to serve as a doula.

• We are developing our midwifery curricula, effective immediately!

• We are prayerfully trying to raise funds to cover Casa Compasiva’s financial challenges of 2012.

• We are just finishing up our thirty-seven week panoramic Bible-study/discipleship course for all Casa personnel.

• We have spent a year providing excellent prenatal and postpartum care, attending Oaxacan women in 404 appointments, sharing the gospel and praying with each woman we see.

• We are interviewing and praying with another midwife and her family, who already live in Mexico and are looking for the next area of service where God would have them.  Oaxaca?!?

• We have welcomed eleven babies born at Casa Compasiva this year (one per month since our doors opened!), and have provided labour-support and encouragement for MANY other women in hospital births who for one reason or another were not able to give birth at Casa Compasiva.

• We have developed good relationships and networks with local gynaecologists, pediatricians, and hospitals, allowing us to support ladies who are “risked out” for Casa births but who still want Casa-style labour support for their hospital births.

• We have been privileged to introduce several ladies (and some husbands as well) to faith in Jesus over the course of this past year, and we have counseled and prayed with many others, pointing them to the God of the Bible as their hope and refuge.

• We are rejoicing in the miracles and the favour that God has granted Casa Compasiva in 2011, and we are prayerfully anticipating another year of great struggles, greater triumphs, and great blessing!

“And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ!” (Philippians 1:6)