Mother’s Day

WILL YOU GIVE A GIFT TO HELP A MOTHER IN NEED FOR MOTHER’S DAY?

Mothers are truly a precious gift worth celebrating. They pour so much love and sacrifice into our lives, and we are grateful. But in some parts of the world, being a mother is incredibly difficult. As you celebrate Mother’s Day this year, would you consider giving a gift to help a mother who is struggling in remote parts of South Sudan?

Your gift will help mothers like Nasrin Mubarak, a 22 year-old woman from Achrun Hills. When she first became pregnant, all seemed well. She made sure to visit the one birth attendant who served her region for wellness checkups. But when it came time to deliver, things took a sudden turn for the worse.

Nasrin labored for two full days at home, unable to deliver her baby. She was taken to the local clinic, which didn’t have the resources to provide the urgent care she needed. Through an Outreach Program, a truck was located to drive Nasrin to Mother of Mercy Hospital – a referral hospital in the Nuba Mountains, run by missionary doctor Tom Catena and supported by Sudan Relief Fund.

After many grueling hours of driving by truck while enduring stalled labor, Nasrin arrived at the hospital nearly unconscious. Within minutes she received an emergency C-section that saved both the lives of Nasrin and her unborn baby. It was a close call. But she is pictured here smiling, with her healthy five day-old son, Kuku Mitiyas.

Mother of Mercy is operated, staffed, and supplied by the donations of compassionate people who keep it running – the only facility of its kind for 300 miles serving thousands. Mothers like Nasrin don’t have the medical care available to them we take for granted. Having a baby can be a life threatening experience.

Thankfully Nasrin and her baby boy lived. But only because Mother of Mercy hospital was available to provide lifesaving care at a critical moment. “I thank God for the gift of Dr. Tom and the generous donors who keep the doors of Mother of Mercy Hospital open. God bless you all,” says Nasrin. “If not for the lifesaving surgery and the needed medication, our lives would have been lost, mine and my baby’s.”

We hope you enjoy a blessed Mother’s Day this year. And we hope you will consider blessing another mother who needs it so desperately. Honestly, you may save someone’s life. What better gift to give?

Please send your gift here, or consider joining us as a monthly supporter.

Samira Sirer Tia

Meet Samira Sirer Tia. She is 25 years old and a busy mother from the village of Dabakaya in South Sudan. Earlier this year Samira became pregnant, but this time things were different than usual. From the outset she began to feel dizzy and weak. Soon this became so severe that she went to the nearest clinic to find out what was wrong. Samira spent seven days at that clinic but was eventually discharged. They told Samira she lacked blood, but the clinic could not do blood transfusions. So she was released and went home.

In just three days’ time Samira grew far worse and became so weak she couldn’t even move on her own. To move anywhere she had to be carried. She was taken to a different clinic where the staff referred her to the Mother of Mercy Hospital for further medical management.

It was nearly a ten-hour drive from Samira’s village to Mother of Mercy Hospital, a facility supported by the Sudan Relief Fund and made possible by the support donors. At six months pregnant, Samira was severely anemic and had a hemoglobin count of only 3.0. (A normal range for a woman is 12 to 15.) This was a life-threatening condition resulting in severe anemia since she did not have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to her body. Samira was immediately admitted for critical care and remained for several weeks.

Thanks to her treatment at Mother of Mercy Hospital, Samira can now walk on her own again. Her pregnancy progressed well and she had a successful delivery. Samira is extremely grateful to God for the gift of her life and to Dr. Tom Catena and his staff for her recovery. She sends her message of gratitude to those who support Mother of Mercy Hospital. Because of you, this expectant mother was able to receive the lifesaving treatment she and her baby urgently needed.

Rashida Ibrahim

Rashida Ibrahim says that without the help she received at Mother of Mercy Hospital, she wouldn’t be alive today to share her story.

Mother of Mercy Hospital is a referral hospital in the Nuba Mountains of South Sudan, the only trauma center in a 300-mile radius serving over 250,000 Sudanese. Missionary Dr. Tom Catena and his staff work around the clock to help patients who couldn’t be helped elsewhere.

Rashida is a mother of 4 children living in Rabak, though she is originally from Gharbia in the western Nuba Mountains. When giving birth to her fourth child, she struggled through a difficult delivery. Four months postpartum she began to experience heart palpitations and trouble breathing. She was taken by ambulance to the city of Khartoum and admitted to a hospital, but was later told she would have to come back in a month to obtain an appointment to see a doctor.

When she returned a month later there was no doctor available to see her. Because of difficulties developing from COVID-19 and the rainy season, numerous private healthcare facilities had shut down completely.

Rashida stayed at home until she could no longer endure the struggle to breathe. This time she went to Mother of Mercy hospital in her childhood region of the Nuba Mountains for help. After reviewing her case, Dr. Tom told Rashida her heart was weakened and she was suffering from ascites (excess abdominal fluid) from a swollen liver. She was immediately admitted to the hospital to receive treatment.

Fortunately, Rashida has seen great improvement. It is no longer a huge struggle for her to breathe. Her liver has improved and the swelling from fluid in her abdomen has gone down. Rashida says without the hospital, she wouldn’t have lived. She is thankful to the nurses, doctors, and supportive donors who made this possible for her. “I wish them a long life that they may continue to help many more poor people. God bless.”

Rashida Ibrahim

Rashida Ibrahim says that without the help she received at Mother of Mercy Hospital, she wouldn’t be alive today to share her story.

Mother of Mercy Hospital is a referral hospital in the Nuba Mountains of South Sudan, the only trauma center in a 300-mile radius serving over 250,000 Sudanese. Missionary Dr. Tom Catena and his staff work around the clock to help patients who couldn’t be helped elsewhere.

Rashida is a mother of 4 children living in Rabak, though she is originally from Gharbia in the western Nuba Mountains. When giving birth to her fourth child, she struggled through a difficult delivery. Four months postpartum she began to experience heart palpitations and trouble breathing. She was taken by ambulance to the city of Khartoum and admitted to a hospital, but was later told she would have to come back in a month to obtain an appointment to see a doctor.

When she returned a month later there was no doctor available to see her. Because of difficulties developing from COVID-19 and the rainy season, numerous private healthcare facilities had shut down completely.

Rashida stayed at home until she could no longer endure the struggle to breathe. This time she went to Mother of Mercy hospital in her childhood region of the Nuba Mountains for help. After reviewing her case, Dr. Tom told Rashida her heart was weakened and she was suffering from ascites (excess abdominal fluid) from a swollen liver. She was immediately admitted to the hospital to receive treatment.

Fortunately, Rashida has seen great improvement. It is no longer a huge struggle for her to breathe. Her liver has improved and the swelling from fluid in her abdomen has gone down. Rashida says without the hospital, she wouldn’t have lived. She is thankful to the nurses, doctors, and supportive donors who made this possible for her. “I wish them a long life that they may continue to help many more poor people. God bless.”