Advent study with quilt kit

“Operation Healing Hope,” the United Methodist global health initiative to end obstetric fistula, has sent dozens of advent studies featuring a quilt kit to congregations in 10 conferences.

“Advent Visions of Healing & Hope” is a four-week study to raise awareness about the childbirth injury that affects two million women and girls worldwide. The resource promotes advocacy during the upcoming Advent season through a curriculum that includes Bible study, prayers and creation of a baby quilt.

Fistula occurs when women and girls suffer prolonged labor and the tissue between the birth canal and bladder becomes soft and breaks down from too much pressure exerted for too long by a baby’s head. Babies are stillborn, and mothers are left incontinent, frequently leading to being ostracized by families and communities. Proper medical care can prevent obstetric fistula.

This educational resource is “a unique venture combining Bible study with craft,” according to the Rev. Jill Wiley, United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS) consultant and director of Operation Healing Hope.

Engage quilters

“Many congregations today host active quilt groups,” said Wiley, a pastor who has served in the local church for more than 20 years. “The aim of Advent Visions is to engage those who work creatively with their hands to be in scriptural and spiritual conversation about global concerns of maternal and infant health, especially obstetric fistula.”

We hope to have at least four- to five-dozen baby quilts to send to Camphor United Methodist Mission in Tubmanville, Liberia.

Quilt kits have been sent to congregations in places as far flung as Bonner Springs, Id., Mansfield, Texas, Philadelphia, and Bangor, Me.

“In the new year,” Wiley said, “we hope to have at least four- to five-dozen baby quilts to send to Camphor United Methodist Mission in Tubmanville, Liberia, for the Traditional Birthing Assistants Assn. of local midwives to give to mothers and newborns.”

Social media

To keep study groups and quilters connected across the conferences and to let others monitor the progress of the Advent Visions Baby Quilt project, Wiley has set up sites at Facebook.com/AdventVisions, YouTube.com/AdventVisions and Twitter.com/AdventVisions. “This is a great opportunity to combine today’s social media with the grandmother of all social media: a circle of quilters,” Wiley pointed out.

This is a great opportunity to combine today’s social media with the grandmother of all social media.

Operation Healing Hope is part of a global movement to raise awareness about prevention, treatment and restoration of the survivors of obstetric fistula. The year-long United Methodist initiative is funded by the United Nations Foundation and works closely with groups such as UNFPA and Women’s Ministries of the National Council of Churches of Christ USA.

The ten conferences targeted for the Operation Healing Hope campaign are Central Pennsylvania, Central Texas, Eastern Pennsylvania, Greater New Jersey, New England, North Carolina, Pacific Northwest, Peninsula Delaware, West Ohio and Western New York.

For more information, go to Operation Healing Hope on the Internet. You can contact the Rev. Jill Wiley at 127 Tilton Ave., Brockton MA 02301, or (508)427-0081.

Gaining access to proper medical care can prevent obstetric fistula if a potentially difficult pregnancy is identified soon enough. If a mother is a victim of obstetric fistula, treatment in the form of fistula repair surgery is available in many of the poor areas of the world where victims suffer from this hidden epidemic. Organizations such as United Nations Population Fund [UNFPA] are at work in 45 countries building programs to provide economical, social and emotional support for fistula survivors

Operation Healing Hope is part of a global movement to raise awareness about prevention, treatment and restoration of the survivors of obstetric fistula. The year-long United Methodist initiative is funded by the United Nations Foundation and works closely with groups such as UNFPA and Women’s Ministries of the National Council of Churches of Christ USA.