Fearfully & Wonderfully Made

You formed my inward parts; 
You covered me in my mothers womb. 
I will praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 
Marvelous are Your works and that my soul knows very well. 
-Psalm 139:13-14

These verses ran through my thoughts all summer as I worked at a maternity clinic in the Philippines and thought about how God was intimately aware of each baby I came into contact with. Over and over I got to see how marvelous the works of my God are. The things I learned and saw this summer are priceless to me, and it makes me more excited than ever to follow after a God like this.  You are worthy of Your name, Jesus.

-Naomi
Mercy Midwives, Philippines

How to Pray for Us!

Nursing students Naomi & Kat doing Bible teacing

Each week, part of our duty at the clinic is to do a Bible teaching for the patients who are there for prenatal check ups. As the weeks have progressed we have shared many Bible stories and presented the gospel through these to numerous women. After we finish the teaching and begin taking vitals, we ask each patient if they have any questions about what we shared. We have not had many women ask questions so far, so please be in prayer that this week God will place questions in the minds of the women we share with and that they would have the courage to ask. 

Pray also that the language barrier as we answer these questions is overcome by the Holy Spirit. 

-Mercy Midwives

Spiritual Growth

You, God, are my God,

earnestly I seek You;

I thirst for You,

my whole being longs for You,

in a dry and parched land

where there is no water.

Psalm 63:1

Team of the Day: Mercy Midwives

Country of the Day: Philippines

Pray for team members to humbly submit to the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Pray for radical spiritual growth in their lives.

Outreach With Mercy Midwives

Saturday morning the Mercy Midwives strapped on their backpacks, Chacos, and water bottles, caught a jeepney, and set out for a day full of outreach! Partnered with two sweet midwives from the clinic, we visited the home of a mother who delivered about 2 years ago. Nanette, one the midwives accompanying us, actually delivered this mother's baby and was so excited for the chance to visit her again! Once we were settled in her home, we found out that she is already a born again Christian. It's always encouraging for our team to hear the stories of mothers who have discovered and accepted the love of Christ, even when they may not have been raised to hear such things. 

As we got to talk with Jo, she was very open and honest with us about situations she is dealing with in life. We were able to read to her from Psalm 139 and James 1:2-4, and share a bit of encouragement about how the Lord is always with us, through ups and down, trials and joys alike. We explained to her the importance of forgiveness, prayer, and looking to the Word for answers to life's hard questions. Even though our hearts are heavy to share the gospel with ears that have never heard, we also take such joy in being able to encourage fellow sisters in Christ. We truly feel like God lead us to Jo's house today. 

Even as I sat in the room listening to all of this conversation, I myself was reminded of how much the Lord loves us. If we all pause and think about all the times we have not lived for Him or we have sinned against him, it is hard for our human minds to grasp how God's love and forgiveness can remain the same. Sometimes it is hard to forgive others here on this earth. Hard feelings, pride, and jealousy often have a way of weighing us down. But when we look at the cross we are humbled by the grace that the Lord has shown each of us numerous times and are therefore able to show others that grace. I can only pray that the Lord speaks to her heart about forgiving others as much as he spoke to mine today. 

Please join us in praying for Jo. Pray that God supplies her with wisdom as she makes some life decisions. 
Pray also that she is able to provide for her family and that relationships around her would be mended and healed.  

-Mercy Midwives

A Shared Love for Reading

Paige and Naomi admiring baby Jobell,
Jay's newest baby boy!

During one of the shifts at clinic last week, Amy got to chart for the birth of a sweet baby boy. His mom, we'll call her Jay, was so sweet and very talkative. Her English was excellent and she truly loved engaging in conversation. Later that day, after shift change, Naomi and Paige got the opportunity to meet Jay and help with her postpartum care! Again, she was extremely talkative and so fun to be around! 

Unfortunately, her bana (husband), could not make it to the birth so the girls got to spend a little time talking with and keeping Jay company. They wanted to find a way to visit her, but she lives almost an hour away. After thinking about it, they wanted to do something special for her. During their conversations they had figured out how much she loves to read English books, including the Bible. We all ventured to the mall and explored the shelves of a book store. We picked out two books that we thought would be perfect for her and could help guide her in her spiritual growth. At her 3 day baby check up, Naomi and Paige presented her with the books! She was excited to have them and even began reading them before she left the clinic.

Please pray that God will speak to her and reveal himself even more through these books! 
Pray also that God will provide her wisdom as she raises a family to love Him. And we all know she could probably use a little guidance from the Lord as she raises 3 energetic boys!

-Mercy Midwives

Small Room, Big Smiles

Yesterday, we got the opportunity to revisit one of the houses we had been to on our first week here. This was the house that was full of kiddos. They had been texting the midwives and asking when we could come back. We were so excited to oblige. We told the kids the story of the good Samaritan, and we had them act out the story for us when we finished. We played games, gave out candy, braided hair, and took lots of pictures!



This whole family lives in a shack about the same size as my bedroom back in the states. They do not have much extra money, let alone food, but they gladly served us a full meal! It was extremely humbling to witness their generosity. We ate lots of rice, pork, and fish soup. Paige got to eat off the same plate as 7 year old Neman, who LOVES rice.

After the meal, we gave the mother a Cebuano Bible. Kat got to explain how the Bible is laid out and supplied her with some materials that help you to better study the Word.  She shared with us that she does not have a religion at the moment. We are extremely hopeful that she will dig into God's Word, and after discovering the truths within it, she will begin to ask those hard questions and seek Godly counsel. Please pray for her as she begins to read and discover the love of Jesus Christ. 

-Mercy Midwives

A Vital Decision

During one of our health teachings this week, we prepared the story of Lazarus and the rich man. We read the story to about 68 women at the clinic. We then asked them some pretty tough questions about heaven and hell. We shared that because we have made decisions to ask the Lord into our hearts and make him the Lord of our lives, we can be assured of our place in Heaven with Him one day. As each woman came up to get their vitals checked after the story, Kat and Amy asked them each if they knew where they were going if they died today. Two women were not sure and wanted to know more about the gospel and salvation. We were able to share the gospel fully with them, and explain what the steps of salvation are. They both stated that they wanted to do what we were telling them about, so we got the opportunity to pray with each of them!

We are really hoping to follow up with these women as they continue to come for prenatal visits. One of the moms is due pretty soon, so we are praying that we will be able to connect with her again, and hopefully get to visit her on an outreach day! Please pray for the 2 mothers we talked with, and the many others who hear our stories but may not have the courage to speak up.

-Mercy Midwives

Mercy Midwives Update

We have had yet another awesome week at the clinic helping with births, pre-natals, health teachings, and bible studies! Most of us have seen our required 5 observation births and are now up to charting! Exciting! We have also figured out that America is MISSING OUT on fried bananas! YUM!!! 

Scroll down to see some pictures from our daily life & prayer requests from the Mercy Midwives team.

Visiting moms on outreach day!

Naomi and Amy holding baby Athena!

Paige and Kat share the story of Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego with Athena's mom on outreach day!

Paige - professional baby holder. She gets two
carry ons for the plane ride home right?!

Naomi and Kat embrace the role of
pregnant moms for a health teaching!

Please Pray for:

• The boys we met on the boat (see our other blog post, Even on a Day Off, for that story)
• Renewed energy each morning for shifts at the clinic
• That God will bring us into contact with people who are ready to hear the gospel
• For guidance in our bible teachings that we do for the patients each morning
• And for safe deliveries and healthy babies

Even on a Day Off

After a long week of shifts at the clinic, we Mercy Midwives took full advantage of our day off! We decided to take a boat ride out to Isla Reta, an island about an hour off the coast of Davao. We spent most of the day enjoying God's beautiful creation and were instantly reminded of His power and majesty as we stepped into the bluest water we have ever laid eyes on. We spent time recapping the week and studying team time material. 

As beautiful and fun as that beach was, the best part of the day was the hour and a half boat ride back. On the beach we briefly met 3 Indian boys who are in Davao for medical school. We ended up sitting in front of them on the ride home. After a bit of small talk, we asked them about their religion. They are Hindu, but said they were not fully committed to it. We asked them what they knew about Christianity and it was evident that they needed further clarification. Through exploring their beliefs and how they compared to ours, we were able to share personal testimony, scripture, and answer many questions that they had. They were all very interested in what we had to say and they asked really good questions! Before we left we decided to pick a time to meet up with them again, later in the week. In preparation, we bought them Bibles and highlighted key verses that answered many of the questions they posed. Unfortunately, they did not show up for our second meeting. 

These things can be a bit discouraging in the moment, but we know that the Lord is Sovereign and that we simply have to be faithful in sowing seeds, even if we don't see the fruit they produce. Please pray that the awesome conversation we had on the boat will make wheels turn in VJ, Parti, and Barne's minds and hearts. We are praying that they will have questions and seek out answers! Maybe somehow we'll run into them again! 

It is truly humbling to our team to see the Lord move, even on a day off. When we are faithful in the small things, God can use them for great things!

-Mercy Midwives

Babies, Babies, Babies

2 outreaches + 3 Bible studies + 3 health teachings + 10 births + 12 jeepney rides + 20 clinic shifts + 201 blood pressures taken = 4 very content Mercy Midwives.

We have completed our first full week in Davao! We have jumped right into work at the clinic. We spend our days taking vitals, holding babies, giving baths, cleaning rooms, encouraging moms, and learning Visayan. Even though our trip is medically based, we are daily seeking the Lord's guidance in ways and opportunities to share His love with those around us!

One of the privileges we are given at Mercy Maternity is that we are able to fully participate in clinic days. Each clinic day is started with worship songs, a Bible lesson of our choice, and an educational health teaching. So far we have shared the stories of Zaccheus and the paralyzed man. Zaccheus is a true example of what life change looks like after coming to know Christ. The paralyzed man shows the women that in this time of pregnancy, which can often be filled with questions, they can turn to family, friends, or midwives... but ultimately God is the only person who can truly help us with anything! Most of the women that filter in and out of the clinic doors are Catholic. If asked whether they know the Lord, a majority would say yes. However, we are learning to communicate the difference between works based faith and a true relationship that sprouts form grace freely flowing from the cross. Ephesians 2:8&9 has been a very encouraging and helpful verse for us this past week.

On Thursdays and Saturdays we have outreaches. Thursdays we head to Isla Verde, a very poor and impoverished area of Davao. There we provide prenatal care to women who might not otherwise have access to it. We give them vitamins, answer questions, check their progression, and tell them about the opportunity to give birth at the clinic. There is a language barrier, even for the Filipinas, as they have their own dialect in Isla. Language barriers can be difficult, but we know that the Spirit can move through even the most difficult of obstacles. Our favorite part of Isla is that we get to pray for each woman we see individually, and we know that God hears and answers prayers in any language. Saturdays may be our favorite day of the week. On these days we get to visit patients at their homes and share the gospel with them. Today we visited 2 moms and their sweet little ones. At the home visits we did wellness checks on mom and baby. At the first home the midwives shared an audio presentation from the perspective of God and how much he loves us as his children. It was a Christian household, but they are currently dealing with situations of shame and pride. We were able to encourage them, and share some words from the heart. We told of how carrying burdens like this on our own can weigh us down, but when we share those burdens with God and others around us, we can be lifted up. The second house we visited was FULL of kiddos! They loved us "white girls". This is the first time we have taken being called pale as quite the compliment. We were able to share a bible story with the kids and help them memorize 1 John 4:8, "God is love." While Naomi and I distracted the precious little ones, Kat got to share the gospel with the mother! We plan to visit here again soon and supply her with her very own Cebuano Bible!

We live in a house of girls who are currently attending midwifery school here. They have been so welcoming and give us lots of suggestions for new things and foods to try! Please pray that we would be a daily encouragement and witness to each of these girls we have grown to love.

Prayer requests:
God's guidance in seeking out and speaking to specific mothers at the clinic
Continued health and safety for the team.
That Leah, who we visited today, would have the courage to open up to others around her.
And that we continue to be a blessing and helping hand at the clinic.

Desire for the Truth

Team of the Day: Mercy Midwives

Country of the Day: Philippines

Pray for the unsaved to have a desire for God's truth. Pray for teams to proclaim this Truth clearly, unashamedly, and out of a desire for God to be glorified.

Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 14:6

Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent. John 17:3

This is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you: God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

Meet the Team: Mercy Midwives

Maayong buntag! 

Good morning from Davao City. The Mercy Midwives have made it! As we begin to get acquainted with the city, we'd love for you to get acquainted with us! This summer we will be working in a lying-in maternity clinic and we will be integrated into the healthcare team here. We will be providing encouragement to workers as well as moms, conducting Bible studies, devotions, and health teaching, and even preforming/assisting with pre- and post-natal exams. We have loved being helping hands already this week! Between the 4 of us, we've already seen 4 births in just 2 shifts! 

Amy, Paige, Kat & Naomi

So to start the team off meet Kat! Kat was actually born in the Philippines and moved to the US when she was 8. She is excited to be back "home" and can't wait to show her teammates all the Filipino foods and culture! She is in Nursing School in Texas and plans to get her masters in Health Care Administration. 

Up next is Naomi! She is in her third year of nursing school in Arkansas! She is very interested in midwifery through missions as a future occupation and is so excited to get a taste of it this summer. She loves to explore and travel, and is looking forward to trying all kinds of Filipino foods!

Next we have Paige! Paige is also in her third year of nursing school. She attends school in Louisiana. She wants to go into full time medical missions after finishing school, possibly as a midwife! She loves to hike, play Ultimate Frisbee, and read. The hardest part for her this summer will be trying not to bring home at least 3 Filipino babies from the clinic. Maybe they could be her carry-on items! 

Lastly, is me! My name is Amy and I am in my third year of nursing school in Arkansas! Fun fact, Naomi and I are actually roommates and are so excited to share this experience together. I hope to become a Labor and Delivery nurse after school. This is my first overseas mission trip and I am so excited to see God move through me and my teammates this summer. 

So far our team has meshed really well together and it has been lots of smiles and laughs! We are looking very forward to getting to know each other better and on a spiritual level! 

How you can pray for us!

• Team unity 
• Strength and diligence after long shifts
• That we would take advantage of every ministry opportunity that comes our way
• Pray for the moms at the clinic, many of them face the challenges such as poverty, singleness, miscarriages, and more and that we would know how best to love on them and show them God's love through our words and actions