It has been an eventful year. We "officially" had our kick-off early in 2015. We were in the beginning stages with just a vision and some ideas on how to make things happen. Now, a little over a year later, so much has changed... So we wanted to take a few moments and tell you about where we were, and where we are now.
My husband and I used to be very active in the pro-life movement. But in 2008, things began to change. It was the fall of that year that we suffered our first miscarriage. This was a very difficult and trying time for us; it would be followed up 18 months later with a second miscarriage. Through this process we began to see some things we never had realized. We learned how frequent pregnancy loss occurs- 1 in 4 pregnancies to be exact. We realized how many families are affected by this tragedy- and how much silence there is on the issue.
Silence because there is very little offered to help those who suffer the loss of a child through miscarriage.
We heard personal stories of loss, hurt, anger, pain- many that had not been shared before. We heard voices of frustration, hearts that had suffered- yet were unsure how to deal with the grief presented them. Because we had been there too- our hearts hurt with familiarity and empathy. It was through these stories, and much prayer, that the vision for David's Hope was born.
A need for outreach to families who have been through pregnancy loss was shown to us, and we became determined- through God's guidance- to do our best to address that need. We began doing research, study, and building a plan to reach out to others, and at what we felt was the right time, we launched David's Hope.
We started off with the idea of reaching out to local families by offering naming and memorial services, certificates of life, and memory boxes. But that quickly evolved into much more...
In the very beginning we put together, and mailed out a memory box to the daughter of a good friend. We took some pictures of the box and posted them online in hopes to bring local awareness of what we were starting. We did not expect what happened next...
Friends from out of state saw the pictures. People we did not know found our facebook page and saw the pictures. Before we knew it, what was intended to be a one time outreach for a friend blossomed into nationwide requests, from California to Maine, Washington to Florida- we have sent out over 100 memory boxes to more than 26 states, and still more requests regularly coming in! Of course, we would not have been able to accomplish this without the many volunteers who have helped by donating finances, hand made baby blankets and other items.
Of course this is not all we have accomplished. We have expanded from our home to an actual office, and as executive director, I took counseling classes and have obtained a license in lay counseling. This has been helpful, as I have been able to meet and counsel women in the local area in a safe and intimate setting.
God has opened other doors for us in the past year- we have built relationships and partnerships with local crisis pregnancy centers, OB/GYN's, funeral homes, and are now reaching out to churches as well. This has helped get the word out about the important work we are doing. We also had the privilege of working with legislative PAC Idaho Chooses Life to help pass the Unborn Infant Dignity Act, which gives the parents who have suffered the loss of unborn children the right to a death certificate and the right to determine what happens to the child's remains.
As I said, a lot has happened in a year's time. As I prepare this week to both send off a check to the IRS to complete our non-profit status, and to start Bereavement Doula classes, I am reminded of what God has done in such a short time. I am excited for where God is taking us, apparently, in the near future.
In closing, I want to ask something of you. We cannot do this alone- so I want to ask you to be a part of our team. I ask for your prayers, both for the families we minister to, and for us at David's Hope. We are still a very small operation when it concerns personnel- we have a small board of directors, trying to still work out the kinks as we grow much faster than expected. So prayers for wisdom and guidance are greatly appreciated! And financial support is greatly appreciated as well- everything we do, we offer at no charge to those we minister to. Which means cost must be covered in other ways.
At the end of the day, we are so excited to see how things progress. While we do not like the reality of sorrow, we understand also that it is a reality- and we are honored that God would choose to use us to minister to others.
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