Churches Support Vulnerable Mothers through Compassion

In the heart of Payatas, a community in the Philippines known for its towering rubbish dump and daily struggles with poverty, local churches are providing a lifeline to vulnerable mothers.

For Rhenzel, a young mother of two, that lifeline came at just the right time.

“At my first church service, I felt there was a purpose to life and that my being a mother was not an accident,” she shares.

At the age of 18, Rhenzel had dropped out of high school and left home. Life had always been tough: her parents struggled to provide for her and her five siblings, and the family lived in extreme poverty.

“I rebelled not really against my parents but against poverty and hardship,” she says. Hoping for an easier path, she set out on her own. But at 19, she became pregnant with her first child, Dhione. When she soon fell pregnant a second time, she and her husband began to worry about how they would care for their growing family.

That's when the church stepped in and offered hope and support.

A neighbour invited Rhenzel to visit her church, where she not only found spiritual encouragement but also life-changing practical support through Compassion’s Mums and Babies program. Run in partnership with the local church, the program provides expectant mothers with essential perinatal care through to their baby’s first birthday and then beyond through the Child Sponsorship Program.

Through regular home visits, health check-ups, parenting workshops and monthly supplies of baby essentials, the program provides mothers and babies with the vital care they need in that crucial first year of life.

Rhenzel was ecstatic to join. In May 2023, she gave birth to her second child, Roban Gelo. He was born in good health but with a cleft palate.

“We were really surprised because the doctors said everything was OK,” Rhenzel recalls. “When I saw my son for the first time, honestly, I was shocked. But it didn’t take long for me to get comforted. I know there are several free medical steps to help babies with a cleft palate, and I know the church will support us all the way through.”

Centre Director Miriam explains, “Mothers are given all the care they need. In Roban’s case, we connected Rhenzel with the local government for surgery when he’s ready. We’re just waiting for Roban to be healthy and strong enough for the operation. In the meantime, we provide the medicines and vitamins he needs.”

Reflecting on her journey, Rhenzel couldn’t be more grateful for the centre’s support. “It is such a big help,” she says. “We get baby supplies every month, I regularly receive advice in parenting, and mothers like me are being taught about God. I am so grateful. This all started when I attended church two years ago!"

This Mother’s Day, please pray for mothers like Rhenzel, and for families facing hardship around the world.

• Pray for baby Roban’s growth and strength as he waits for surgery.
• Pray for Rhenzel’s health, resilience and hope as she cares for her children.
• Pray for fathers like Rhenzel’s husband to find steady, safe work to support their families.
• Pray for the staff and volunteers of the Mums and Babies program, that they would have wisdom, compassion and strength as they support vulnerable families.
• Pray for mothers living in poverty to receive the care and support they need to give their babies the best start in life.