Lindsay & Mércia go to class!

Hi friends,


It's my birthday, July 25th, and I want to share with you one of my biggest dreams! If you have talked with me recently you might have realized my passion is to help pregnant women and new moms!


Here in Pernambuco, the state I live in in Brazil, there are about 90 pregnancy related deaths per 100,000 live births. In the US the rate is around 28 deaths per 100,000 births. That’s more than three times the number of deaths! Not only that but women here are at greater risk to be subjected to unnecessary c-sections. The statistics vary grately but a modest estimate is that around 40% of births in public hospitals are c-sections and up to 98% of births in many private hospitals are c-sections.  With those high rates there is an increase in maternal mortality and morbidity.


I have been thinking and praying a lot about what I can do and it seems like a door is finally opening. There is a course starting next month for Educadoras Perinatal, perinatal educators. It’s being run by some top Brazilian Obstetricians and humanized birth professionals.


After taking this course I hope to start a birth support group in one of our local churches and find other ways to help educate new moms in the Pernambuco interior.


BUT, the main goal of Jeff and my ministry here is to support and empower Brazilians, so I need to take someone with me! You might remember Mercia, my friend whom you helped have a healthy birth earlier this year. Well, she and I have been dreaming big dreams together.  We have big ideas and big plans, but we need to start small and we need your help again!


This accelerated course is six full day sessions, three in August and three in September. The cost for the class is only around US$560! That’s less than US$100 per session! The exchange rate for the US Dollar to Brazilian Real is 3 to 1 right now! That’s a lot of bang for your buck! If you give just 5 USD that is more than 15 Reais! If you give just 31 dollars (my age!) that’s around 100 Reais!


Please think, pray, and consider giving today!


For more info watch the video, check out the course’s website (portuguese - CEFAPP ), twitter (twitter.com/liquidaficadora ) , facebook (facebook.com/lindsabelle ), and our blog (jlbrasil.blogspot.com ) for updates!


Thanks!


Also, a big thanks to our fellow World Renewal Brazil missionary friend, Dia Deli, who made the great banner! We miss you and can’t wait to have you and your amazing talent back here with us!