In This Issue

Charis Family
     Lisa Kreinbrook
Charis Cuisine
     Winter Warming Stew
 Charis Around the World
 Childbirth in Kenya
       
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Lisa Kreinbrook has graduated from the Charis midwifery academics course!!!!! We are immensely proud of her, her hard work has blossomed and not only did Lisa graduate from the Charis midwifery course, she also completed the Charis lactation counselor training, doula and childbirth educator programs in the process. Expectant families in her community are blessed to have her serving them. Congratulations, Lisa!!!

Our Director's Heart

Gifts for workshop attendees arrived in the mail!
 

Busy Behind the Scenes

There are so many exciting things going on behind the scenes at Charis! But, first, before I talk about that, let me shout out how proud I am of Lisa Kreinbrook who has recently earned her Diploma in Midwifery Academics through Charis Childbirth! It was wonderful that all the details worked themselves out so I was able to go visit Lisa at her home and take her out to lunch to celebrate her accomplishment. Lisa is such a gem and the community she ends up serving as midwife will truly be blessed!

Next weekend is the Charis “Communication, Teaching, and Coaching” Workshop and we are working hard behind the scenes to prepare for a wonderful weekend of learning and fellowship. The gifts for attendees are arriving in the mail, I just got the final menu from Chef Eric and, wow, everyone is in for a real treat Saturday! Be on the lookout for a full report from this workshop in April’s newsletter. Also, mark your calendar for the next Charis “Labor Support” Workshop that is scheduled for Saturday, September 3, 2016. If you have not yet participated in that workshop, you will not want to miss it! And, if you have attended in the past and would like to keep up with all the latest labor support techniques, you will want to attend, too! We offer contact hours toward Charis CE/Doula recertification and, since you have attended before, you can participate at a discount.

Charis’s future sister school is also keeping us super busy these days. There have been a few setbacks that are out of our control, but we are still moving forward full steam ahead with the intent to birth her very soon. Christy Hicks has been working tirelessly to be sure the new school starts with excellence right out of the gate; and, special thanks go to Charis midwifery student Bethany Stricker for writing the school’s preceptor manual. Lord willing, the name of the school and all the other secret details will finally be unveiled in June’s newsletter.

Another exciting thing in the works is a trip to Kenya! If all goes as planned, I will be there for the month of February in 2017. Please cover this trip and all the planning in prayer. There are many details to be worked out, but we are planning far enough in advance that I am certain everything will fall right into place. Every time I think about being there with our midwifery students Jannekah and Lilian, my heart swells with happiness in anticipation of our sweet time together. I love those ladies and miss them terribly. My plan is to visit with Jannekah in Nairobi and facilitate Charis workshops there for local Kenyan women who are interested in doula work, hosted by Lucy Muchiri, the only Kenyan licensed midwife attending out of hospital births. While in Nairobi, I will also spend some time at the Mercy House, a home for girls in extreme crisis pregnancies. My desire is to do more than make an appearance, but provide something valuable to that ministry and the girls they serve. When I was there last time, one of the girls asked me if I would come visit her in the slum when I came back to Kenya. I told her I would and I intend to be true to my word; so, I hope to also be able to visit the girls I met in 2013 who have left the home and are now on their own. I will, of course, spend time in Bungoma with Lilian, who is excited for me to connect with a midwife in her town who attends births and has been an encouragement to her. Between now and the time I go, I hope to identify what training that midwife might need to help her better serve her community. Lilian is so excited about my coming that she is already networking to set up speaking engagements for me at girls’ schools, boys’ schools, ministry events, etc. (That girl’s going to keep me busy!) Of course, a big draw for me to return to Kenya is to connect with Surprise, Lilian’s son who calls me Shosho (grandma in Swahili). That boy is one of the most precious things on the planet. In between Nairobi and Bungoma is Kakamega, home to Charis’s friend Pearl, and my trip to Africa would be incomplete without time with Pearl and her beloved family. Whenever I think about steeping onto the plane next year, my heart races and I have an overwhelming sense that my little plans are, well, little, and God’s vision for my time there will far exceed anything I could think up myself. Thank you for covering all of this in prayer. More updates will come in future newsletters.

Thank you, all of you, who pray for the Charis students and our staff. Working with childbearing families, wherever we are in the world, places us on the frontlines of spiritual warfare. The work we do puts us at risk for burnout/adrenal depletion, parenting and marriage struggles, and persecution. Please keep our health, our families, and our safety in your prayers. We couldn’t do what we do without your intercession.

Blessings,
Kristin Schuchmann, LM, CPM
Executive Director, Charis Childbirth, Inc.

• For the Charis Childbirth Educator, Doula, and Midwifery students: sharp minds to learn, opportunities for lots of hands-on learning
   
• For the Charis CE’s, doulas, and midwives: rest, peace, protection, wisdom, discernment
   
• For the Charis missionaries and humanitarian workers: protection, peace, divine guidance, financial provision
   
• For  our  directors  and  administration:   Wisdom, guidance, energy, and provision from God as Charis enters this season of growth

The information in this newsletter is for educational purposes only and is not intended to take the place of medical care and advice from your health care provider.