A Baby Shower for Maren

If there's anything positive that has come from losing Maren, it is this: my own suffering has made me much more aware of other hurting mothers. 

http://www.cnn.com/2016/08/17/world/
syria-little-boy-airstrike-victim/

When I think of the mothers who watch their children die a little every day due to starvation, I can't imagine what those women are going through. The video of this boy who was pulled from the rubble in Aleppo made me cry. There is so much suffering in the world, and most of the time I feel like there's nothing I can do. My prayers seem like too little, and calling my elected officials doesn't seem like enough either. I want to swoop in and rescue those sweet children and bring them all home. 

I have insurance and retirement accounts with a financial institution called Thrivent. Every year, I can apply for $250 to do something good for someone else. When thinking about how I wanted to use my grant this year, I strongly felt I wanted to do something to honor Maren. We may not be the richest folks around, but the fact of the matter is that Maren would have had everything she needed if she had lived. She would never have wanted for food or clothes or good medical care. It is a luxury I take for granted. I would guess most of you do, too. I wanted to do something for other babies and mothers who don't have that privilege.

The ladies at my church are helping me do something to help those babies and mothers on a small scale. We never had a baby shower for Maren, but they're helping me put on a baby shower at the end of January with all the gifts collected going to moms and babies in need around the world. Lutheran World Relief will distribute all the baby kits we make to mothers in emergency situations. It still doesn't seem like enough, but it's something; it tells that mom, "We see you. We love you. We're sorry you're going through this. We're praying for you."

If you'd like to join me, please click here to see the list of items that go into a baby kit. I made a little Amazon wish list you can see here for inspiration. Feel free to purchase items anywhere you want -- those are just ideas and examples. You can even go dig through those tubs in your basement if you'd like; as long as items are in like-new condition (as most used baby clothes are!), they'll be great for some other little one on the other side of the world.

Join me in honoring Maren . . . and your children and grandchildren, too. Let's show our gratitude for our children and our situations by doing something for other moms in situations far out of their control. Thank you so much!

Tiffany Roiseland

655 S. Governor St.

Iowa City, IA 52240