Northbrook Church, your generous support is making a great difference to mothers and their babies at Corderitos de Jesús Student Center, based at Iglesia Mision Cristiana Elim in Morazan, El Salvador. Currently, your gift is impacting 15 mothers and their babies.
By supporting their Survival programming, you are giving babies the best possible start in life, ensuring they get the care they need, from before birth until they reach their crucial first birthdays. From regular growth monitoring and supplemental food, to immunization and specialist care, they are known, loved and protected from the very beginning.
Likewise, mothers are receiving a range of support such as breastfeeding instruction, pre- and postnatal care and access to a skilled birth attendant. Thanks to you, they can bring a precious new life into the world with confidence, knowing that they will not only have professional care but also the emotional and spiritual support they need when they are most vulnerable. For a full year, both mother and baby are accompanied every step of the way as they begin their journey out of poverty.
This report includes a letter from a caregiver in the Survival program, photos of recent Survival activities and information on Compassion’s strategy for supporting mothers through regular home visits. In the photo above, Irma, whose letter is included below, holds baby Marina outside their home.
Ministry Progress at Corderitos de Jesús Student Center (July – December 2021)
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- 18 mothers and their babies served
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- 1 baby born, birth weight was healthy
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- 3 babies reached their first birthday and are receiving continued care through Sponsorship
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- 2 babies, on average per month, received malnutrition treatment
A Letter From Irma, a Caregiver at Corderitos de Jesús Student Center
Beloved Sponsor,
God bless you! I greet you in a special way, asking God to pour his blessings on your life. My name is Irma, and I am 23 years old. I want you to know I am very thankful that you thought of me and the other mothers and gave our babies the opportunity to be part of the Survival program.
My daughter’s name is Marina. I joined the program in my fifth month of pregnancy. At that stage, I received medical checkups, laboratory exams, medication, nutritious food, a newborn kit, a mosquito net and a Bible. When my daughter was born, I was overjoyed to see her, touch her little hands and watch her grow every day.
The Survival program benefits my baby in many areas. Marina is progressing in her cognitive abilities and language comprehension. She has learned to make friends and communicates her emotions. She discovers the world with her senses, is already starting to crawl and can hold onto the wall or furniture to stand up. She likes to listen to Bible stories, closes her eyes to pray and puts her hands together and claps when she hears worship music. My favorite Survival activities include birthday celebrations, food basket deliveries, child development sessions and group meetings.
Thank you for all you are doing to help our babies. I pray that God would continue to bless you and keep you healthy. Please pray that God would keep my baby and family healthy and that he would continually provide our daily bread.
Big hugs,
Irma
Recent Survival Program Activities at Corderitos de Jesús Student Center
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- Mothers and babies attend medical checkups at the child development center. They receive medicine and vitamins when necessary. Medical checkups are a wonderful time for mothers to bring their concerns to doctors who can help them. After their appointments, mothers and babies receive a nutritious snack.
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- Caregivers received vegetable seeds from Survival staff, so they can plant home gardens. The vegetables they grow provide nutrition to their families and can be sold to generate income.
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- Survival program staff and participants celebrated World Child Survival Day. Mothers prepared presentations to share the importance of providing holistic care to children.
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- Survival staff held a Children’s Day celebration at the church where they provided lunch, gifts and encouragement.
Babies Transition to Compassion’s Sponsorship Program
Thanks to your support, these babies have recently celebrated their first birthdays and transitioned to home-based care through Compassion’s Sponsorship Program. They will continue their growth with the guidance provided to them by the staff at Corderitos de Jesús Student Center and a loving sponsor.
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- Scarlett
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- Medaly
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- Mauricio
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- Keyla
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- Arleth
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- Edrian
Survival Program Spotlight: Home Visits
Compassion Survival Specialists play a vital role in reinforcing program content so participants can begin integrating their new skills and learnings into their daily lives. Through monthly visits, Survival Specialists offer emotional and social support for both the mother and the child. The one-on-one time allows for more individualized attention and provides an extra measure of personal connection and accountability. During these visits, the specialists check the home environment for any risks or dangers. They offer additional training in any areas the mothers may need, from breastfeeding best practices to parenting skill review. They also lead the mothers through Bible studies, encouraging church attendance and involvement. They end their time by praying with and for these moms, always inviting the Lord into this time, and always pointing them toward a deeper relationship with him.
Thank You for Your Support
Thank you for releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name with Compassion International. Because of you, babies living in poverty are surviving and thriving. God bless you!