Today we’d like to introduce you to Deborah Bird & Aubi Martinez.
Hi Deborah & Aubi, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
We started Abundant Life with the vision of supporting women facing an unplanned pregnancy. We value life, but also realize how sometimes entering the season of motherhood can have tremendous challenges. The decision to get involved by providing support to these mamas was an easy one, but the implementation has had its challenges as we were not quite sure all the different ways we would be able to step in and love on our Mamas. We never could have envisioned where this would lead.
As a result, in the last 5 years we have created a community of women: mentors (we call them Mother Hens), mamas, friends turned family. We host support groups 3 times a year, as well as monthly get togethers open to everyone. We throw our mamas a baby shower to help with tangible needs for their newborn. During the support groups we also throw a Mama Shower to help with those of the Mama herself. Our Mama Shower is hosted by beautiful women in our community who provide massages, chiropractic care, manicures and pedicures, hair cuts, and other beauty treatments. Our goal has always been to help our Mamas feel seen, cared for, and loved.
With the help of our generous donors and grants, we have also been able to create a Crisis Fund, provide free counseling, and host educational classes. Our Crisis fund allows us to step in when our mamas need financial help to avoid late payments or eviction. Our counseling fund helps those who need further counseling due to trauma in their past, or simply life situations beyond their control. By hosting educational classes, we are able to walk our Mamas through practical budgeting, lactation support, writing resumes and how to interview well, and introduce them to members of the community who can help beyond our limitations here at Abundant Life.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We have had an outpouring of help from our volunteers and donors. However, the hardest challenges has been the uniqueness of each of our Mamas and their stories. No two lives are the same, and we want to care specifically and intentionally for them. Therefore, our Mother Hen program was birthed out of necessity. These Mother Hens are the go-between for the staff of Abundant Life and our Mamas. They are listening ears, sounding boards, and just such a breath of fresh air for these women.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Creating Abundant Life?
When most people think of Pregnancy Resource Centers, they envision medical facilities with pregnancy tests, ultrasound machines, and a loving staff to help them confirm their pregnancy. Although these are quite necessary and beneficial to women, we truly believe that the emotional/relational support they need is missing from our current Pro-Life community. Women can usually go to a local church to find some support, but it can be quite intimidating at the same time. We strive to bring that support to them right when they need it most. We want to bridge the gap between just being Pro-Life in our minds and hearts, and putting those beliefs into practice by recognizing that many women facing the decision between choosing life or abortion for their baby comes down to whether she has community in her corner for the long haul. It is a beautiful and messy process, a woman’s journey into motherhood.
One of the most rewarding outcomes has been when our Mamas whose little ones are a year or so old. While they continue coming to group because they still love being around the community, they begin giving back as a Mother Hen themselves to another young, often scared woman who just found out she is pregnant.
Any big plans?
We are hopeful of launching a Maternity/Mother home at some point in the future. So many of our mamas are facing homelessness on a regular basis due to circumstances truly beyond their control. We envision a tiny home community where they can grow and save money to be launched back out on their own.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://creatingabundantlife.org/unplanned-pregnancy-riverview-florida/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creating.abundant.life/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creatingabundantlife/
