We feel SO BLESSED to have given birth to Niko at our home in Haiti. You can read our birth story on our blog at: mattandestherinhaiti.blogspot.com. It was a crazy night but as the dawn broke our dreams came true and we held Niko in our arms. It was exactly how we wanted it! Even though we didn’t know beforehand what the birth would be like, four wonderful and tremendously experienced women with Heartline Women’s Center here in Haiti do know what a perfect birth is, and they graciously and expertly shared it with us.
Since the birth last Saturday, we’ve been busy gazing at Niko and reading your notes of congratulations and blessing. THANK YOU. Many of you have also asked about sending a gift. We feel overwhelmed by your love and support and here is what we would offer as a suggestion:
We would be honoured if you would make a donation to the Heartline Women’s Center Pre-natal Program.
Here is some background on the program:
Each week the Heartline Pre-natal program sees twenty pregnant women, most of them who have never received pre-natal care. The program has been consistently full for two years with a wait list of twenty women. In the US or Canada, each of these woman's pregnancies would be "high risk". The program works with women that are malnourished, anemic, and suffering from diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis.
These challenges mean that we need to work with them and monitor their pregnancies very closely. We check their vitals and offer them vitamins and pre-natal/health education each Thursday. On a rotating schedule and when extra attention is needed they are seen in the exam room for a full pre-natal check at least once a month. At the end of their pregnancy we see them in the clinic room weekly.
When it comes time to deliver their babies, the women can come to the Women's Center to have their baby delivered under the care of a Certified Professional Midwife. Most women in Haiti will deliver at home without the help of a medical professional. Often times women will attempt to get into a hospital to deliver, only to find out that the hospital is full or to learn that the expense is too great. Over and over again we've seen horrible outcomes for women who could not get help when they were in labor and needed immediate medical attention. Haitian women have very few choices.
This is where we come in ... Heartline offers the women in our program a safe, clean, peaceful and loving place to experience labor and delivery with trained Midwives to assist them throughout their labor and delivery. There is no cost to the woman. We are here to serve them.
There is an enormous list of supplies that the Heartline Pre-Natal/Birth Center needs to continue offering exceptional care to pregnant women of Haiti. The list includes vitamins and other meds, IV equipment, hospital beds, oxygen tanks, towels and clothing, teaching tools, vaccines and many more small but essential items.
A donation of $50 will provide pre-natal vitamins for all 20 women in the program for a week.
A donation of $100 will cover the ENTIRE cost of one safe labour and delivery at the Women’s Center.
Every little bit helps - $5, $20, $100, $500. Whatever you are able to share will make a pregnancy and birth a little closer to the joyful miracle that it was for us and should be for all women.
Here is how you can help.
1. Send a donation directly to the Heartline’s office in the US. Please be sure to write: Heartline Pre-Natal Program (NIKO) on the memo line of your cheque.
Heartline Ministries
PO Box 898
Sunnyside, WA 98944
2. Donate to Heartline Women’s Program through PayPal. Go the the Heartline website and click on the "Donate Women's Program" link.
3. Send us (Matt and Esther) a cheque and we will collectively write a cheque to the Heartline Pre-Natal program. (This may be the easiest option for people in Canada because Heartline cannot currently receive Canadian $ cheques at their Washington address).
For those living in Haiti, you can donate directly to Heartline in person OR write us a cheque or give us cash and we will donate in your name.
Matt Van Geest
59 Simpson Road
St.Catharines, ON L2N 3Z5
We are most honoured by YOUR support of the Heartline Pre-Natal program.
With love,
Matt, Esther, Gabriela and Niko
