Giving Newborns and Their Moms the Care They Need

Yailin, 25, felt inadequate as a mother and was filled with deep fear and anxiety as she prepared to give birth again. She worried that she wouldn't be able to take good care of her newborn. She and her husband already have two daughters—a 4-year-old and a 3-year-old—and her husband works hard all day as a farmer, harvesting fruit in Venezuela. But even this steady income is barely enough to put food on the table.

With a third baby on the way, their worries began to grow. They couldn't afford maternal care, doctor's visits, or even prenatal vitamins.

During her last pregnancy, Yailin had to have an emergency C-section, leaving her in need of more specialized care for this birth. When she heard about a Samaritan's Purse medical clinic in neighboring Colombia, she was greatly relieved. For the first time, she felt peace and confidence that she could properly care for her unborn child's needs.

The journey to our maternal and child health clinic took her nearly two hours one-way. She used a combination of buses and moto-taxis to get to Puerto Santander, just across the Venezuelan border. The clinic serves both Venezuelan and Colombian mothers who are at the end of their resources and often without hope. Most struggle to feed their families, and they have no way to access basic healthcare.

“I have received everything I need—like vitamins and medicine—everything I need here,” Yailin said of our clinic. “So this time, I feel extremely relieved because now I don't have to worry.”

Baby Kits Packed with Love

Samaritan's Purse is providing baby kits to expectant moms in South America, Africa, and Asia. Packed with items like prenatal vitamins, nutritional supplements, newborn clothes, diapers, and wipes, these baby kits provide moms and infants with important health items. They are also coupled with medical care including ultrasounds, one-on-one consultations, and lactation support. Baby kits don't just bring practical relief, but they also bring peace of mind to mothers in need.

As Yailin's due date draws close, she received one of these baby kits in pink, packed full with newborn essentials. “It comforts me,” she said as she explained the cultural significance of this gift. Yailin said many Venezuelans believe that what parents are able to provide for their baby at birth is a predictor of how well they will be able to provide for the child going forward. During her last pregnancy, she and her husband were heartbroken when they didn't have enough money to buy a new outfit or baby items for their newborn. They felt like they were failing.

Now, Yailin is excited to put her baby in a brand-new onesie. This simple gift, among others in the kit, was an encouragement and comfort. Yailin is looking forward to the future and filled with anticipation as she imagines what her newborn will look like—wondering if she will resemble her older sisters or her father.

“It is so important to know there is someone who always supports you, that you are not alone in the whole process,” Yailin said. She is grateful for our expert medical care, nutritional guidance, and the practical items she received.

Yailin is also thankful for the spiritual care she was given at our clinic. During her doctor's appointments, a chaplain would often meet with her while she waited and encourage her in her faith. She admitted that she often struggles with fear and anxiety. In fact, she says she is afraid every time she makes the long journey to the clinic, a trek that is dangerous at points. But God has met her there. Familiar Bible verses often speak directly to her heart, reminding her that God is in control.

“He is all the time with us, and we will be able to overcome any situation, no matter how hard it is because He is with us and we have Him,” Yailin said.

Through Samaritan's Purse clinic, Yailin was able to shift her focus from survival mode to dreaming of the future. Her faith in God was strengthened as she witnessed His faithfulness in her life by providing this medical care and baby kit free of charge. No matter what the future holds, Yailin is encouraged and trusting God with her life and her children’s lives.