Starting out as project manager for BB a year ago, I had some ideas of how I envisioned the future of Bosom Buddies. I am a passionate teacher and storyteller, and for me it was important to shift the focus from supplying bags at our public hospitals to the empowerment of mothers. I am happy to report that, for the most part, this objective is taking shape just as intended.
This past year we have distributed 5000 bags. This means that 5000 women were blessed and prayed for by one of our 22 volunteers. Isn’t this number just splendid? Not only this, we have grown into the field in which there is a vast need, which is education. We have started our new moms group in Macassar with attendance exceeding all expectations. The success of this group has inspired us to do more and get bigger. The new moms group will be split in January, we will be forming one group for pregnant women and another for moms with babies. We are also thrilled to be starting an antenatal course in Sir Lowrys Pass from which another support group will stem.
The kangaroo room looks absolutely gorgeous with the stunning murals done by our artistic high school volunteers. The installed basin has filled a huge need and the curtains made by our own Dezi is feminine, pretty and lovely.
Our next project is our Babies Born Sleeping project which entails comforting mothers who experience stillbirth with dignity and compassion. Babies are photographed and those mothers who prefer not to take the pictures home with them, are able to contact us when/if they are later ready and retrieve their pictures. Mothers are encouraged to hold and name their babies and funeral and coping with grief information is provided. Unfortunately our local hospital, Helderberg Hospital, is a high risk facility and statistically we experience about 100 to 120 stillbirths per year. We have a dedicated group of volunteers, specifically trained to deal with these cases. We also have a psychologist on-hand, working with debriefing our volunteers. Regrettably, the hospital administration has asked us to discontinue this service, without notice and reason. We are saddened that so many mothers now leave the hospital without appropriate debriefing. It is reassuring, though, that I still receive regular calls to offer my services to these mothers. I believe that a relationship of trust between myself and the staff has developed and with the proper fostering this relationship will have our Babies Born Sleeping project fully functioning again. We are determined to figure out a solution to this drawback in 2012.
In managing this project, I have grown significantly on a personal level. My Faith has been confirmed and rewarded and matured. I have witnessed miracles and experienced tremendously difficult situations with some of the mothers. Even in these arduous moments, somehow being able to comfort a mother is incredibly, intensely healing and even comforting in return.
I would like to thank everyone with a hand in our project: my inspirational colleagues at the Foundation, my wonderfully supportive church family ENSW, my amazing and committed volunteers, the superb staff at both hospitals we visit, our suppliers and donors and funders, we need you and can’t do this without you. But mostly, a huge THANK YOU to God, who blesses every visit, who ensures we never run out of anything our moms need, who blesses us with strength, patience, kindness, love and who reassures us of His presence in the eyes and fingers and toes of every little baby, in the smile of every mother and in the compassion of every volunteer. He truly is the wind behind our sails, what it’s all about.
