The Mama Care ministry was initiated by Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) missionaries, Michelle and Brad Venter 3 years ago when they adopted their fourth child at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the Goroka Provincial Hospital.
Michelle recalls that she felt the Lord spoke to her to minister to the mothers at the NICU Ward.
It wasn’t until the end of 2022 that the ministry came about due to COVID.
The ministry officially began early January 2023 and has ever since become the Mama Care Ministry.
Every Thursday morning Michelle along with other MAF ladies would visit the special care mothers ward at the local hospital with a thermos filled with hot milo and baked goodies to share with the mothers there.
But it’s far more than just sharing food and a hot drink with the mothers.
Michelle said that their overall goal is to spend quality time with these precious ladies and share the word of God with them.
Michelle along with the MAF ladies introduce various activities from colouring picture with inspiring scriptures to hang on the wall and provide wools for the mothers to make their traditional string bags (bilums) or do fun games to keep the mothers busy and entertained during their time at the hospital.
One of the mothers made a remark that, “they (the Mama Care Ministry) bring so much life and give us something to do during our wait and stay at the Mama’s Ward and most importantly we get to know more about God through their ministry and time spent with us”.
An Audio Bible from MAF Technologies was also donated to the mother’s ward so that the mothers would be able to hear the word of God and with the support from their Church in South Africa Michelle was also able to donate Tok Pisin and English Printed Bibles to the mothers.
A mother who received the printed Tok Pisin Bible said that the Mama Care Ministry reminds them of how important it is to raise their children right in the Gods eyes and draws their relationship closer to God.