Protection Against Loneliness

Each month, Jael Flores braves fierce street dogs, burning sun and long journeys to visit 21 mothers at their homes in Cochabamba, Bolivia.

Despite the challenges, she loves her work as a program implementer of Compassion’s Survival Program. “My favorite part of my work is the home visits because the mothers eagerly wait for me,” Jael says.

One of those mothers is 17-year-old Ibeth, who is adapting to her new role of parent to baby Zaid. Their home is one small room, shared with Ibeth’s husband and brother-in-law, who both work long days. As Zaid sleeps on the bed, his parents’ only possession, Ibeth spends much of the day in silence, her doubts and loneliness growing louder in her head.

Each time Jael knocks on the door gives her relief. “I love when she visits me because I’m always alone,” says Ibeth.

Jael will pray and read the Word of God with the young mom. A key part of her role is simply to listen and be a friend.

“Besides studying the lesson, I feel the mothers need us because several of them don’t have a family to share with or to tell what they are going through,” Jael says. “When I’m there in their homes, we have that time to talk. They can tell me everything.”

Going the Distance

Some of the 21 mothers whom Jael visits each month live in rural areas accessible only on foot. Jael encounters snarling dogs and stormy weather on her walks to see the moms. One mom lives so far away that Jael rides two buses for an hour to get to her home for their 90-minute visit.

Each visit includes a parenting lesson customized for each mom by Survival Program workers like Jael. The lessons may cover topics like:

• Language development.
• Care and personal hygiene.
• Preparing nutritious food.
• Preventing disease and accidents.
• The role of play in a child’s development.
• Bible stories.
• What to do in emergencies.

Then the mother puts the lesson into practice with an activity. Each of these sessions strengthens relationships — between mothers and children, mothers and Christ, and mothers and Survival workers who offer friendship and guidance.

Strong Bonds

“I have known Sister Jael since the beginning of the year, and I have confidence in her,” says Ibeth. “I see her as a friend — as a sister. I don’t have an older sister, and I see her like that. She helps me and guides me.”

Ibeth is one of the youngest mothers in the Survival Program, and Jael is proud of the progress she has made. “She listens to the advice, and we see that her husband is also committed to the program,” Jael says. “She didn’t know how to raise her baby, so at the beginning … we helped her understand her baby is special.”

The individual attention offered through the home visits leads to quick progress in the mothers, says Jael, who spends hours preparing the mothers’ lessons after putting her own children to bed.

She doesn’t know what each day will bring — rain, hail, dogs, bus delays. But Jael will continue to serve these mothers and babies because she sees God working in their lives. She will continue to pack up her bag and set out each day with the Survival materials she so carefully prepares.

Mothers like Ibeth are waiting.

Be a hero for moms and babies like Ibeth and Zaid with a gift to Compassion’s Survival Program! Learn more about the program and how to donate!