The Mother and Child Project Discussion Guide: Raising Our Voices for Health and Hope

By Kay Warren and Zondervan

A discussion guide specifically written as a companion piece to The Mother and Child Project that will prompt helpful conversations for book clubs, small groups, and others interested in the topic of women and child health throughout the world and how the church community should get involved.

 

The discussion guide is divided into four sessions-- one to complement each section of the book, The Mother and Child Project.

 

Each session is divided into two parts: “At Home”—several suggested essays to read from the book prior to the gathering to discuss—and “In Your Small Group”—several discussion questions, often supplemented by a pertinent quote from the book, plus a follow-up activity to become personally involved.

 

Dozens of influential leaders have heard the pleas of mothers and children in developing countries. Raising their voices to inspire a movement to increase healthy pregnancies and lower death rates, Melinda Gates, Kay Warren, Bill Frist, Kimberly Williams Paisley, Michael W. Smith and more speak out about why people of faith must get involved in The Mother and Child Project: Raising Our Voices for Health and Hope. Almost 287,000 women die each year because of pregnancy and birth complications. Many orphans are left behind in the wake of this tragedy, and without a mother, many of those children die as well. If only enough people knew. We have the resources to prevent this crisis, but we must take action.

 

Fortunately, Hope Through Healing Hands, a nonprofit organization promoting awareness for healthy mothers and children worldwide, is already spreading the word. Not only can we save lives, reduce abortions, and decrease death rates, but also we can help build healthier, thriving families and bring stability and sustainability to families, communities and nations.

 

The question is, will you join them?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: Mar 31, 2015
• ISBN: 9780310344179

Kay Warren

Kay Warren cofounded Saddleback Church with her husband, Rick Warren, in Lake Forest, California. She is a passionate Bible teacher and respected advocate for those living with HIV & AIDS, orphaned and vulnerable children, as well as for those affected by a mental illness. She founded Saddleback's HIV & AIDS Initiative. Kay is the author of Choose Joy: Because Happiness Isn't Enough, Say Yes to God and coauthor of Foundations, the popular systematic theology course used by churches worldwide. Her children are Amy and Josh, and Matthew who is in Heaven; she has five grandchildren.

Book preview

Introduction

Over the last decade, the church has been at the helm of turning the tide of HIV/AIDS around the world. Today, there is a new focus, a new nexus among global health challenges: maternal, newborn, and child health. The Mother and Child Project: Raising Our Voices for Health and Hope is a collection of essays written by artists and actors, nurses and doctors, policymakers and pastors highlighting the spectrum of concerns for mothers and children around the world. This book’s goal is to educate readers on the critical importance that healthy timing and spacing of pregnancies (HTSP) plays to:

• combat extreme poverty,

• keep girls and children in school,

• promote gender equality,

• improve maternal and child health,

• and prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV/ AIDS.

We believe that HTSP, or family planning, is at the nexus of global health issues.

This discussion guide will lead you and your group — whether a Sunday school class, community group, small group Bible study, or any other group of individuals — through four weeks of discussion on the issues related to women in the developing world.

Each small group leader has the responsibility to make sure group members know what to read in preparation for their discussion each week. We recommend assigning these readings at least a week before the meeting, to give people ample time to prepare.

Our hope is that these discussions will inspire you to action. We welcome you to research the resources listed in the back of The Mother and Child Project for advocacy and involvement, so that