Hope & Mercy

Spring and Summer are reminders of HOPE!  As we enjoy the fresh breeze and the blooming of life all around us, I remember that the scriptures tells us God’s MERCY is new every morning!

In 2013 The Elizabeth Project will bring gifts of HOPE and MERCY to women in Africa.  Our tools for bringing these gifts are maternal-newborn health educational opportunities and practical support for mothers and families.

I recently read that more girls and women die during childbirth in Sudan than from the tragedy of war!  We all long to see the war end and the killing stopped, but even if the war ended today women would continue dying in childbirth!

Hospitals, doctors and midwives bring their technology and skills providing HOPE and MERCY.  We also bring HOPE and MERCY when we educate and support women at the community level, empowering them with knowledge that can save their lives and the lives of their babies.  This is the heartbeat of the Elizabeth Project.  

The gospels paint a clear picture of Jesus response to parents who wanted him to bless their children: “People were bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them…. Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these (Luke 18:15). “And he took them in his arms and blessed them” (Mark 10:14).  Jesus held babies in his arms and blessed them. Why?  He loved them.  Helpless, needy, beautiful babies…precious to God.

In September 2013, three teams of facilitators will be offering training programs that will be taken into communities where mothers desperately need this information.

Our first team will facilitate Giving Birth Lamaze Africa.  This well developed childbirth education program is being successfully implemented across Kenya and also in Nigeria.  This program has been successfully implemented in both urban and rural communities.  Our volunteer facilitators will provide a week of intense learning.  We also provide everything participants need in terms of curriculum resources and teaching aids for educators to return to their community and offer the course.

The second team will be facilitating Breastfeeding Support Program Peer Counselor Training.  This innovative training is offered free of charge to all women interested in serving their community as Breastfeeding Peer Counselors and participants are trained to provide this support by cell/mobile phone.  They also become part of a larger breastfeeding support community. Breastfeeding Your Baby (BYB), a foundational lactation course, will also be offered for childbirth educators and doulas.

Our third team will provide Doula training for those who have already completed Giving Birth Lamaze Africa.  This training allows women to become professionally certified as a doula (professional birth assistant) with DONA.  All three events will be held concurrently September 23-27, 2013 and registration is now open.

To register for Giving Birth Lamaze Africa click here: 

http://givingbirthlamazekenya.wufoo.com/forms/z7x3p3/

To register for Breastfeeding Support Program Peer Counselor Training click here:  http://breastfeedingsupportprogram.wufoo.com/forms/2013-breastfeeding-support-programpeer-counselor/

To register for Breastfeeding Your Baby Lactation Educator Course click here:

http://breastfeedingsupportprogram.wufoo.com/form/2013-breastfeeding-your-baby-lactation-education/

We have teams of facilitators ready to go.  We have the curriculum ready to go.  Now we need a mighty team of people who will go with us in prayer.  Some of you may also want to partner with us financially. We provide all teaching tools for our participants.

You can donate a Workbook for $25.00 per participant:

You can donate a model Pelvis for $40.00 each:

You can donate a Knitted Uterus model for $12.00 each:

You can donate a Baby Model for $22.00 for two: 

You can donate a Placenta Model $15.00 each:

You can donate a Breast Model for $15.00 each:

You can sponsor a participant’s Lunch-Teas for $12.00 per day each participant:

Donations can be made to AIM International - ELIZABETH PROJECT.  You can donate online at:

https://giving.wesupport.org/gift2/designation.php? GUID=B259EAB9-5D37-46C5-A37B-C5089310A397&id=25525

Or by mail at:

AIM International

Jennifer Carroll/Elizabeth Project

P.O. Box 3611

Peachtree City, GA     

Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him.  Then he said to them,” Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.  For he who is least among you all –he is the greatest.” ~Luke 9:47-48