The Greatest Love

Parenting is no easy feat—there is a lack of control and new surprises come every day. But parenting is even more difficult when families lack access to healthcare or the resources needed in their home country. This is the case in Venezuela.

With an ongoing crisis and a worthless currency, the only hope for these families is to cross the border into a neighboring country for necessities and even healthcare. Just a few miles from the Colombia-Venezuela border, Samaritan's Purse established a maternal-child health clinic, which serves 400 patients every month, filling the gap and giving moms peace of mind that they are taking care of their child. Many of these expectant mothers and new moms are willing to travel for hours, journeying across dangerous areas to reach the clinic and receive care. This exemplifies the true, sacrificial love of a parent.

During each visit to the maternal-child health clinic, these families receive healthcare and hear about the greatest love that exists: the love of Jesus Christ.

Recently, one of our podcast correspondents, Kaitlyn, traveled to Colombia to speak with families about how this care has changed their lives. Malia, one of the many moms that Kaitlyn met, was pregnant with her third child. Malia heard about the Samaritan’s Purse clinic from a friend and expressed how relieved she was to be able to access the healthcare.

Malia and her husband, Joel, would meet with the chaplain at the clinic each month, and he continually shared the Gospel and planted seeds. When they brought their newborn baby back for his first checkup, everything clicked. This couple both accepted Christ as their Savior.

“I just feel that the most important thing that I learned was about God's love. That it overcomes everything and is the greatest love that we can experience. It's greater than any other thing that exists in the world. And we saw that through Samaritan's Purse service and care for us.”—Malia

As moms are nearing the end of their pregnancy, Samaritan’s Purse gives each of them a baby kit filled with things needed for a newborn such as diapers, wipes, and a brand-new onesie. This is something tangible to remind parents that when the baby comes, they are equipped to take care of their child and continue providing for years to come. This eases parent’s worries and helps them dream and hope for their kids’ futures.

“I just heard so many moms express how [the baby kits] allowed them to shift their focus from the worry and anxiety and the right now, to dreaming about the future.”—Kaitlyn

Pray for the mothers receiving care at the clinic, that they would have peace and ultimately, come to know Jesus Christ in a personal way. Please pray that they would see God's hand in their own life, and experience God's love, the greatest love. If you’d like to keep up to date with more stories from On the Ground, please visit SamaritansPurse.org.