Birthing kits for PNG

For many years, LWA in collaboration with the LCA Board for Mission has been providing “birthing kits” to bring the gift of hope and life to new born babies and their mothers in PNG. Babies are often born in huts, on dirt floors, or at best on a bed with wooden slats– certainly not on a sterile delivery table in a hospital. The kits are distributed to health workers for use in the remote villages.

To date, thousands of these kits have been sent to PNG, but (as you can imagine) the need is ongoing! (See this post for more information). Perhaps your women's group would like to be involved in putting some kits together? Getting together to pack them can be a fun time of fellowship and may give you an opportunity to invite or involve women who aren't normally part of your group.The requirements for each kit are listed below:

What’s in a PNG village birthing kit?
• 1 metre square of plastic (no particular thickness or quality is required, since it is used to provide a clean area for the delivery and then discarded)
• 1 metre square of old linen (make sure it is clean)
• 2 cloth nappies (no disposable ones, may be second hand)
• 2 safety/nappy pins (useful but not essential)
• 5-10 squares of gauze available from the chemist, or 3-4 inch (75-100 mm) squares of soft cloth/linen to be used as wipes
• 2 x 20-25cm (8-10ins) pieces of ½ inch cotton tape (similar to bias binding) for tying the cord
• 2 disposable gloves
• 1 cake of soap
• 1 baby size singlet (newborn size - may be second hand)
• Pack the above items in a press seal or zip lock plastic bag
A small text card/tract  from LLL can be added (someone in the village can usually read some English)

Please note that razor blades are no longer required. They were found to rust too quickly in the tropical conditions. A surgical scalpel blade (size 21) can be added to each kit (you can sometimes purchase these from pharmacies) but if you cannot obtain them readily, they will be supplied by LCA Board for Mission before being sent to PNG.

Completed kits and/or surplus items should be sent to LCA Board for Mission, 197 Archer Street, North Adelaide SA 5006. Monetary donations to cover the cost of freight are also gratefully accepted. LWA  groups please send your monetary donations (only) to your state treasurer or you can send money (only) to the LWA treasurer Janette Neumann, PO Box 200, Balaklava, SA  5461. Please mark all monetary donations "Birth Kit Shipping".

God bless you in this valuable service!