After a great week raising money and awareness at The Sunflower Effect last week, I’m feeling inspired and excited for this week. Thursday was International Women’s Day – and the launch of The Challenge. I’ve finished my challenge – if you want to get involved and do it yourself, click here for more info!
Today I’ve posted Conny’s story – a good news story 🙂 It’s good to read the good new stories – not just the heart breaking ones – and be encouraged and inspired!
Enjoy xx
Name: Conny
Age: Unknown
Origin: Sulawesi, Indonesia
Conny & Yemima
Sometimes Conny would go days without eating—not because she didn’t have food, but because there simply wasn’t enough for her whole family. When it came to choosing who would eat that day, and it often did, Conny would always choose her husband and two daughters over herself.
Their youngest, Yemima, had been born eight months earlier, weighing just 2.9kg. Though Conny had been able to breastfeed, Yemima often threw up the milk and was severely underdeveloped. At six months old, she weighed a mere five-and-a-half kilograms, which is two-and-a-half kilograms lighter than the recommended healthy weight for her age according to the World Health Organisation.
Yemima’s lack of appetite quickly deteriorated into a cough and fever. Though it meant another day without food for herself, Conny willingly spent the little money they had on seeking help for Yemima from a general practitioner, who prescribed vitamins and medicines. And initially they seemed to work—Yemima’s fever vanished and the vitamins gave her renewed energy and restored her healthy appetite. But when the vitamins ran out, Yemima once again began throwing up her food, and Conny had no money left to seek further help.
Conny had no way of knowing that her sacrifice of skipping meals for her family meant her breast milk was lacking essential nutrients vital to her baby’s health. The less money their family had, the more Conny would sacrifice her health, and the worse Yemima’s sickness would become. The family were trapped in a cycle; one that was only broken through the intervention of Compassion operating through their local church.
Compassion came to Conny’s community when Yemima was 10 months old, and mother and daughter were immediately enrolled.
Through Compassion’s programs, Conny and Yemima are receiving regular health care and essential vitamins. Conny’s significantly improved health allows her to provide healthy breast milk for her daughter, who now weighs eight kilograms and has the energy to happily play with other babies in the program.
Read the entire article here.
Wow. Talk about the sacrificial love of a mum. Conny was prepared to do absolutely anything for her family.
I love reading these stories about women who will give absolutely everything for their family – who need a helping hand – who find one in time.
I love what Compassion is doing – and guess what? One of the women running Mercy House Kenya is a Compassion International Leadership graduate! What a beautiful cycle!
About The Sunflower Effect
There are many things I take for granted. The fact that I have food to feed my children – I take that for granted. When I am pregnant, I assume there will be quality health care available to me and my baby. If my children are sick, I know I can pop out to the doctor or chemist for advice and medicine. Without realizing it, our family is kept alive and well by the infrastructure of our country.
The thought that my children would miss out on food for hours, days, even weeks.. until their tiny bodies can no longer function – that’s a thought I’ve never had to ponder, let alone fear. Unfortunately, a large portion of the mothers in our world do have to think through this scenario, fear it and all too often – experience it.
I’m a busy mum. My husband has a business and we have three young children. Like everyone, life is full. But I can’t shake that small still voice inside me which whispers, “No mother should have to watch their child die from hunger..” When I’m going about my day, loving my kids, feeling frustrated by my kids, dropping into bed exhausted by the end of the day – every now and then the thought enters my mind, “Why do some mums miss out on the opportunity to care for their kids like I do?”
The reality is, right now in the western world, as we raise our children and establish our lives, the large majority of us mums are unable to actually go overseas and help – in a hands on way. We can give though, and if we give together, we can make a real difference. It actually doesn’t cost as much as you’d think. Organisations like Mercy House Kenya do amazing things on a tiny budget. They have perfected the art of doing a lot of good, for a small amount of money. The money we give allows the people at The Mercy House Kenya to do what they do best – give life, hope and a future to mothers who are otherwise without all these.
Here’s my idea:
I want to raise money to support The Mercy House. I don’t want to (and can’t!) do it alone. I want to do it with you – the readers – if you’re keen and agree with me; that other mums deserve just as much opportunity as we do.
No matter how small (or big!).. every donation will allow Mercy House Kenya to help women and their babies. If we all give the bit we can afford, together we can make a large donation to help the people at Mercy House Kenya do what we can’t do right now. The Sunflower Effect is signed up at Razoo (kinda like the EverydayHero site). You can donate at Razoo by clicking here and the money will go directly to Mercy House!
What is Mercy House Kenya?
Mercy House Kenya was started by Kristen Welch from We Are That Family (blog) last year as a safe haven for women who are pregnant and in danger. Annually, 21,000 women are hospitalized from having an illegal, unsafe abortion in Kenya (Center for Reproductive Rights). With rape being incredibly common and 1500 women dying in childbirth everyday in Africa (WHO), Kristen and her family decided to do what they knew God wanted them to do and opened a home in Kenya. The home is run by Maureen, a Compassion International Leadership Graduate and provides medical care, counselling, safety, bible teaching, education, opportunities for future self-employment and more.
What can you do?
There are three things you can do right now which would really help kick start the project.
1. Tell your friends. Every (1) Matters is on facebook (Joni’s Jottings) and twitter (@jonisjottings). If you like what you have read, please share this post wherever you can. Feel free to use information on this blog to inform others. You could also email your friends and family about The Sunflower Effect! Here’s the link to this post: http://wp.me/pRB4D-mR
2. Pray. I really believe that God is supporting this little project and that He will be right behind us as we raise these funds and talk about these issues. If you feel that way inclined, I’d love to have your support in prayer. Things always work better when God is on board 🙂
3. Donate. I know; everyone is after your money. If you don’t want to donate, that’s cool. If you do, thanks! Any amount, even $10 is wonderful! If we all gave at $10 we’d be there in no time. Here’s the secure page through Razoo where donations can be made: Razoo
I’m really excited about doing this – I hope you are too 🙂 Let’s do this thing together.
If you’re new round here and haven’t heard about The Sunflower Effect, there’s some extra info below 🙂
Have a wonderful Monday!
Joni xx
About The Sunflower Effect
There are many things I take for granted. The fact that I have food to feed my children – I take that for granted. When I am pregnant, I assume there will be quality health care available to me and my baby. If my children are sick, I know I can pop out to the doctor or chemist for advice and medicine. Without realizing it, our family is kept alive and well by the infrastructure of our country.
The thought that my children would miss out on food for hours, days, even weeks.. until their tiny bodies can no longer function – that’s a thought I’ve never had to ponder, let alone fear. Unfortunately, a large portion of the mothers in our world do have to think through this scenario, fear it and all too often – experience it.
I’m a busy mum. My husband has a business and we have three young children. Like everyone, life is full. But I can’t shake that small still voice inside me which whispers, “No mother should have to watch their child die from hunger..” When I’m going about my day, loving my kids, feeling frustrated by my kids, dropping into bed exhausted by the end of the day – every now and then the thought enters my mind, “Why do some mums miss out on the opportunity to care for their kids like I do?”
The reality is, right now in the western world, as we raise our children and establish our lives, the large majority of us mums are unable to actually go overseas and help – in a hands on way. We can give though, and if we give together, we can make a real difference. It actually doesn’t cost as much as you’d think. Organisations like Mercy House Kenya do amazing things on a tiny budget. They have perfected the art of doing a lot of good, for a small amount of money. The money we give allows the people at The Mercy House Kenya to do what they do best – give life, hope and a future to mothers who are otherwise without all these.
Here’s my idea:
I want to raise money to support The Mercy House. I don’t want to (and can’t!) do it alone. I want to do it with you – the readers – if you’re keen and agree with me; that other mums deserve just as much opportunity as we do.
- These precious ladies have just moved into The Mercy House Kenya (left to right, Violet, Elizabeth and Lucy)
No matter how small (or big!).. every donation will allow Mercy House Kenya to help women and their babies. If we all give the bit we can afford, together we can make a large donation to help the people at Mercy House Kenya do what we can’t do right now. The Sunflower Effect is signed up at Razoo (kinda like the EverydayHero site). You can donate at Razoo by clicking here and the money will go directly to Mercy House!
What is Mercy House Kenya?
Mercy House Kenya was started by Kristen Welch from We Are That Family (blog) last year as a safe haven for women who are pregnant and in danger. Annually, 21,000 women are hospitalized from having an illegal, unsafe abortion in Kenya (Center for Reproductive Rights). With rape being incredibly common and 1500 women dying in childbirth everyday in Africa (WHO), Kristen and her family decided to do what they knew God wanted them to do and opened a home in Kenya. The home is run by Maureen, a Compassion International Leadership Graduate and provides medical care, counselling, safety, bible teaching, education, opportunities for future self-employment and more.
I’m really excited about doing this – I hope you are too 🙂 Let’s do this thing together.
*The Sunflower Effect supports the work of The Mercy House Kenya and Kristen Welch (wearethatfamily.com)
Every (1) Matters 