Access to life-giving health care for pregnant moms
“I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
John 10:9-10
QUESSUA, ANGOLA – Many women in the Quéssua community of Angola do not know the importance of prenatal consultations during pregnancy or going to a hospital for child birth delivery. Some are familiar only with traditional midwives and others even give birth alone at home. I am a Global Mission Fellow from Kenya with a diploma in nursing and midwifery and God has called me to serve this community as an outreach midwife at Quéssua Health Center.
I have been doing door-to-door outreach and creating awareness about the importance of prenatal consultation and hospital delivery. I thank God for the community openness and readiness toward change as they embrace the information in a positive way.
A good number of pregnant women are now coming to the health center and, monthly, I receive about 500-1000 women. This has been very encouraging and motivating to both the community and the health center. It means the fulfillment of the promise of an abundant life is near, and the chances of more women and families having healthy, strong children are increasing.
In addition to serving as a community outreach midwife, I also take part in mobile clinics. Access to health is a major problem because there are not enough hospitals, people travel long distances to reach them, and they lack transportation to get to them. Simply put, many people living in the interior of the villages are not able to access medical care.
There is always a sigh of relief and hope from people when we take the mobile clinics in those areas. They show up in great numbers, thanks to Global Ministries and other partners for the support they give.
Health access is a necessity that no one should lack.
Please pray with me:
- That through the efforts of Quéssua Health Center, more people in remote villages in East Angola will gain access to health care, especially pregnant women seeking to deliver healthy, strong babies.
- That we can reach people with messages of hope and information that may save their lives and the lives of their families.
- That I may stand firm and strong in God’s mission to bring life-giving knowledge and expert care to those God has put in my path.
Sylvia Night Wesonga is from Nairobi, Kenya, and is now in her second year of service as a Global Mission Fellow in East Angola. She earned a diploma in nursing and midwifery at the Pumwani College School of Nursing and Midwifery in Nairobi City.
Global Mission Fellows
Global Mission Fellows are young adults, ages 20–30, who are committed to serve in social justice ministries for two years. They enter new communities, understanding their challenges and assets through relationships and with the long-term goal to overcome systemic oppression. Fellows partner with community organizations to address a variety of issues, including migration/immigration, education, public health and poverty.
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