An Update on Your Gift to Babies and Mothers
Survival mothers attend a lesson about preventing Dengue fever to help ensure their children are protected and stay healthy.
Awaken City Church,
Your generosity is helping babies survive the crucial first 12 months of life, when they are most vulnerable to illness and hunger. At Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana Puerto del Cielo in Chiapas, Mexico, your support is helping 15 mothers and babies start down a road that leads to a better life. Mothers are learning useful new skills, building supportive friendships with other mothers and learning that Jesus’ unconditional love can transform their lives. Thanks to you, they are being empowered to create an environment where their beautiful babies will thrive. We hope you are encouraged by this report that highlights recent activities from the Survival program and pictures of moms and babies receiving real and lasting help.
Mark Pellingra
Ministry Progress at Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana Puerto del Cielo
July – December 2024
18
babies and mothers served
1
baby born with a healthy birthweight
5
pregnant mothers
received prenatal care
5
babies reached their first birthday and transitioned to the Sponsorship Program
Grateful Words From Liliana, a Caregiver
Dear Friends,
I live in Chiapas with my husband. I am pregnant, and we are expecting our first child. We are very young parents and are learning new things. I only went to elementary school, so there are some things I don’t know, but I want to be a good mother.
I joined the program because I want my son to study, grow up healthy, and know about God. At the center, they teach us from the Word of God. I have learned about how to have a better home and marriage. I also receive visits at home from the Survival Specialist who teaches me how to take care of the baby while it is still in my belly. Aside from the home visits, I have received hygiene supplies and a welcome kit, and soon I will receive an ultrasound to verify that my son is growing well.
I am happy to attend the Survival program because this is my first child, and my husband encourages me to continue attending. He is always attentive and willing to listen to what I have learned. I ask God to help us in everything and I ask for your prayers for my family. God bless you.
With appreciation,
Liliana
Letter edited for clarity.
Recent Activities at Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana Puerto del Cielo
Because of your generosity, babies are beginning their lives as treasured members of the Compassion family. For many years to come, they will have the opportunity to benefit from a wide range of services, including access to medical care, educational support, and regular nutritious meals. As they grow, Compassion and its church partners are committed to caring for them through childhood and adolescence until they are ready to spread their wings as independent adults. Featured below are recent activities from this center.
A local doctor and a nutritionist came to the center to conduct medical checkups for the children. The mothers were eager to know the health condition of their children, and if any of them required medication. If any further treatment is needed, the program provides the necessary support.
In this activity, the mothers had the opportunity to learn how to make woven bags. The instructor, María, taught them the steps, and each of the mothers was excited to learn. The course was a great blessing and now they will be able to make and sell the bags for the benefit of their families.
Here, the caregivers took another course to promote income generation. The instructor showed them different ways to make gelatin. The mothers worked in groups to make the desserts. Now that they have learned this skill, they can make them for their own families and also sell them to generate income in their home.
Babies Transition to Compassion’s Sponsorship Program
Thanks to your support, five babies have recently celebrated their first birthdays and transitioned to continued holistic care through Compassion’s Sponsorship Program. They will continue their growth with guidance from Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana Puerto del Cielo staff and a loving sponsor. Meet three of these special 1-year-olds below!
Regina
Juan (twins!)
Cesar (twins!)
Survival Program Spotlight: Income Generation and Education
Parents, especially mothers, are critical to effective intervention on behalf of vulnerable babies and young children. Educating primary caregivers sets those little ones on a path toward healthy development — which is why the Survival program incorporates a holistic, long-term strategy into its approach. That strategy is designed to equip mothers to care for their families and themselves, and engage their community, with a healthy, biblical perspective.
The program helps these women develop their minds through literacy lessons. It teaches them critical parenting and child development skills, as well as how to implement them when children are most vulnerable to disease and malnutrition. Mothers are also equipped to provide for their families through contextually relevant occupational training that enables them to generate income. The discovery of newfound talents and capabilities builds their self-esteem, helping them grow into confident women who now have the knowledge and capacity to move forward in life. Education paves the way for them to become the people God intended them to be.
Thank You for Your Continued Support
Awaken City Church, thanks to your gift, mothers and their babies in the Survival Program at Iglesia Nacional Presbiteriana Puerto del Cielo have holistic support. Your help sets them on a path toward greater peace of mind and better knowledge to provide the best care for their developing infants. Thank you for investing in these families through the work of Compassion International to release children from poverty in Jesus’ name.