Big Ocean Baby Shower

Our first Big Ocean Baby shower kicked off with a splash!  Held for the sister and sister-in-law of our Executive director and founder, Carolina Allen, the night included international food, uplifting thoughts, friendship, and service.

Our hope behind Big Ocean baby showers is that we can use the venue of a baby shower to focus not just on the mother to be but on our international sisterhood.  Often, as women, we are so distracted by the business of our own lives that we fail to recognize the integral difference a little act can make in the lives of one of our sisters.  For many women in developing worlds the difference between life and death for a new mother and child can be tools as simple as latex gloves, cotton, string, and a clean medical knife or razorblade.  We were grateful to be able to partner with “Serve a Village” (http://www.serveavillage.org/) to assemble 100 clean birth kits during our fun evening together.

As we ate Brazilian and American food, laughed and talked we felt a kinship that extended beyond our small group gathered together in person.  We thought of our sisters across the Ocean in Kenya who we were assembling these kits for.  We wrote them individual notes explaining who we were and our hopes for them.  We hoped our small donations and birth kits might make them feel supported and cared for; that a woman who might have otherwise had an unassisted birth would now have access to the tools and care that could allow her to have a birth experience with greater dignity.

One of the mothers we showered, Fernanda, summed it up this way.  “I was overwhelmed with gratitude to be able to share my special day with 100 other mothers of the world. My favorite part about the evening was having the opportunity to write each of them a letter of encouragement, love, and support. I hope this will pave a way where I can do more for my worldwide sisters.”

Her sister-in-law, Carol, our other showered mother said, “I loved the feeling in the room when so many of the women I love and respect, rolled up their sleeves and worked along side me so that we could extend our love across the ocean to our other sisters in need. That feeling of love and unity was my favorite part. I want every woman and mother out there to have that feeling.”