Help Save a Momma's Life This Mother's Day

I cannot type this post fast enough...forgive me if I ramble...

Since becoming a mother I've had a strong desire to help other moms.  Moms in third world countries?  Single mothers?   I haven't really known what to do or where to focus my attention, but I am constantly thinking about other mommas and how their situations might be different from mine.  And how they are similar.  After all, the fierce love we have for our babies must feel the same in each of our hearts regardless of the hand we've been dealt.

I know that I've been extremely fortunate in every step of my motherhood journey so far.   I think about everything from being able to give birth in a clean hospital with pain management options to the fact that I have a wonderful support system surrounding me and my little family.  Each of my children were born into a safe and healthy environment.  I have close family and friends who take part in my boys' lives.  And I have Billy, who enables me to stay home and focus on the job I love the most in life (who, on top of that, is a very hands-on father, cleans and makes a mean banana bread :)  No matter how trying any of my days are, my heart is still overflowing with the deepest gratitude for the life I've been given when I lay my head down to sleep at night. 

In some ways I envy the strength and bravery of other moms because I know I would crumble under the pressure of certain circumstances.  Single mothers deserve a Superwoman cape.  Women who give birth without medical assistance on a dirt floor should earn a badge of courage. 

So, get the point, right?!

Tonight I stumbled across a blog post that detailed the statistics of maternal death in Papua New Guinea...the death rate is 1 in 7.  I'm so shocked by those numbers.  One in seven moms will not live to experience the joy of motherhood.  And its all because of the lack of basic supplies.  As I was working myself into tears thinking about these women, the writer of the blog outlined a way to help: provide "Clean Birth Kits" through an organization called Medical Ships.   I re-read it again. And again. THIS is what I could do.  A small thing to help other mothers at the most critical  moment of motherhood...birth.

Clean Birth Kits can help ensure that every mother in the region has access to the appropriate supplies that can keep her and her baby free of birth related infections and injuries.

So what’s in a birth kit? Really basic stuff.  Soap, plastic gloves, a small plastic sheet, gauze, a small blade, string.  Can you believe that these seemingly insignificant things are standing in the way of some children growing up with a loving mother?  Ah, I'm going to start crying again!

Ok, here's what I'm going to do and I hope you'll join me.  I'm going to host a Clean Birth Kit packing party (at The Vintage House rather than my home for space reasons) on Saturday, May 12th...the day before Mother's Day.  I think it will be a great way to pay tribute to all moms near and far.

Any and all mommas in the KC area are welcome.  I'm going to set up an event on FB or you can email me or leave me a comment below to let me know you're interested in participating.  I'll assign each person one supply to bring (ie. 5 bars of soap or 1 package of gloves).  Then we'll package them together in good company on May 12th. 

Stay tuned...this idea literally sprung up about 2 hours ago...so I haven't ironed out all of the details quite yet :)