After Mary learned she was carrying the Messiah, she visited her pregnant relative Elizabeth who said: “As soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy” (Luke 1:44). Little ones are important to God, and Samaritan’s Purse Australia & New Zealand is assuring mothers in Vietnam that their children are precious to Him.
Maternal and infant mortality is often twice or more the national average in rural areas of north Vietnam. The reasons for this are many, including infections, high blood pressure during pregnancy, and complications from delivery. Also, the provinces of Lai Chau and Lao Cai where we are working are extremely mountainous, causing the delay or cancellation of essential pre- and post-natal appointments. COVID-19 compounded the problem. The pandemic severely limited women’s access to health services due to social-distancing orders. The result was a significant increase in maternal deaths. The lingering effects of this tragedy are still being felt.
Samaritan’s Purse Australia is diligently working to strengthen Vietnam’s health worker network to ensure that women have access to the critical information and services they need for a healthy pregnancy, safe childbirth, and proper nutrition. An important key is training traditional birth attendants. Since 2013, we have trained over 150 health workers across the central and northern regions of the country. Thousands have benefited from their ongoing service, with community-based antenatal and postnatal care, and tremendous delivery support.
As we do this, we develop ongoing relationships that open doors to share the hope found only in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, our “anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast” (Hebrews 6:19).
We appreciate your partnership to help provide the vital resources mothers and their babies need in places like Vietnam. We couldn’t do this work without you. May God bless you.
Franklin Graham
President, Samaritan’s Purse
Bless a Mum Abroad
This Mother’s Day, you can support a mother in Vietnam by giving towards a gift bag filled with essentials such as newborn tops, bottoms, socks, beanies, a changing mat and literature in their language. Gift bags are presented to parents when they attend a health and nutrition workshop hosted by their local traditional birth attendant.
As a token of our appreciation, we will mail you a special Mother’s Day card to celebrate the day with a loved one.
Trust Gives Way to Hope in Remote Vietnam
Eighty-three, that is the percentage of all maternal deaths, stillbirth and newborn deaths that could be averted with quality midwifery care. In remote and low-resource settings, less than half of all women received antenatal care in their first trimester.
“I saw one case of a mother who died during childbirth because she did not have the proper care to deliver the baby in her home. This was one of many instances that I can remember. It’s a reminder that I need to dedicate myself to this work,” said Mrs. Lan.