“Nearly four years ago, a beautiful Ugandan woman gave birth to a baby girl. What should have been a moment of joy, quickly turned into a moment of sorrow for this family as this brave, strong mother lost her life. I know this woman was beautiful, strong, and brave because I see a bit of her every day in my daughter. I get the honor of parenting this woman’s beloved child.
When moments like Mother’s Day roll around I will always think of Mercy’s mother. There are so many things I wish I could tell her. There are so many questions that I long to have answered. I wish she could share the joy of Mercy’s laugh, her fiery temper and her silly antics. I want her to know that her baby girl is thriving. I want her to know her baby girl is loved.
Our Sweet Mercy at Easter 2013 Not only do I think of Mercy and her first mother, but I also think of the thousands of other women every day that do not get the opportunity to parent their children. I think of the thousands of children orphaned every year because their mothers die senseless deaths. I want to honor these women and children.
I think of the many amazing mothers I encounter every day. Working moms, stay-at-home moms, room moms, and homeschool moms. There are moms facing illness, moms parenting alone, and moms overcoming abuse. There are adoptive moms, biological moms, and step-moms. There are women dreaming of motherhood, those just starting out, and those nearing the end. There are so many special women for us to honor.
This year for Mother’s Day I am asking you to honor the women in your life. Honor your mother, the mother to your children, or any mom you see that is doing an amazing job. But let’s make our gifts count. Let’s use this as a great opportunity to help women on the other side of the world. I can’t think of a better way to honor these women then by telling them you decided to give hope to a mama in her name.”
I wrote those words three years ago, but they still ring true today. I’d love for you to honor your mother (or any other special person in your life) by making a donation in their name. It’s so easy to do! Just click on this donate button. Make a donation in any amount you like (you can even sign-up to make it a recurring gift each month!). When we receive your donation, we’ll email you a card you can print off and give to your loved one.