Your Love, Packed & Ready for Haiti

Oh, my heart overflows! So many of you responded to my post about my upcoming trip to Haiti with gifts and the promise of prayers and encouragement! I know I said it already, but it’s as though you’re coming along with me! I can only imagine what it will mean to the staff of MamaBaby when I arrive at their door, laden with your gifts! The staff of MamaBaby work, literally, day and night, around the clock, and around the calendar in service to the at-risk moms and babies of Haiti. To receive such an outpouring of love will certainly lift their weary hearts and show them they’re remembered.

You’ve encouraged me personally as well! I’m excited to go to Haiti, but I’ll be honest, I’m nervous, too. I understand that three weeks of hard and potentially heartrending work lies ahead of me, and, well, at the very least, I’m not twenty anymore! I’m not even thirty! Thanks with all of my heart for your show of support and, more than anything, that you intend to keep me in your prayers.

I thought I’d take a minute and share some photographs of the items that have appeared on my doorstep. If you sent a gift, but find you’ve gone unnamed, please drop me a line! Many of the items came without sender information. Also, the gifts are still rolling in, so this is simply a gallery of those items I’ve already received.

The very first box to come really took my breath away, and is the reason I selected its contents as the cover photograph of this post – a woman named Gail McLean sent twenty-one handmade blankets! Gail also sent 200 umbilical cord clamps!

My former client, former apprentice, and very dear friend, Jammi Pace, sent diapers, gauze, sheets, and needles!

My friend, Amy Young, sent bath towels, ink pens, and syringes!

A young woman named Emily Walker sent a sweet card and gift of funds!

Sent, but unclaimed are five reusable underpads, a case of disposable underpads, Brother toner cartridges, and a huge bottle of Hibiclens!

Gina Gerboth is sending along some cord clamps, bulb syringes, and tape measures!

Karen Strange plans to send two Mercury medical infant resuscitation bags and several masks!

My sister and her husband, Kris and Ron Ratkos, are contributing funds!

And, finally, Jill Roper tells me a siren for the ambulance is on the way!

Again and again and again, abundant thank yous, you many generous souls!

by Kim Woodard Osterholzer, Colorado Springs Homebirth Midwife

Photographs by Kim

Thank you so much for the gift of your time!

If you enjoyed this article, let’s stay connected! And if you’d like to see my memoir of similar stories published and in your hands, then subscribe to my blog, and join in the conversation by commenting below!

And be sure to poke around here a bit, as there are lots more stories awaiting you.

Kim Woodard Osterholzer, Colorado Springs Homebirth Midwife and Author

Books by Kim:

Homebirth: Safe & Sacred

Homebirth: Commonly Asked Questions

A Midwife in Amish Country: Celebrating God’s Gift of Life

Nourish + Thrive: Happy, Healthy Childbearing

One Little Life at a Time: Recommendations + Record Keeping for Aspiring Homebirth Midwives

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