On June 13, 2007, ACTION missionary Mavis Orton, was presented to the Queen at Buckingham Palace who awarded her with an MBE (Member of the British Empire) for her "services to midwifery in the Philippines." Mavis was accompanied by ACTION's Founder and International Director Emeritus Doug Nichols, and special ACTION friends Geoff and Irene Foster. Mavis Orton has worked with ACTION among the poor communities in the Philippines for over 20 years.
Mavis, from Tamworth in England, retired from her post as midwife in the UK National Health Service in 1986. Instead of "retiring", Mavis felt called by God to missionary service. She applied to several missionary agencies but was turned down due to her age. She persisted however and was accepted by ACTION. Following nine months language study Mavis began ministry in Manila. For two years she was involved in medical and evangelistic outreach with ACTION partner Christian Growth Ministries. She also assisted a church planting team in research in extreme poor communities and later served in community development.
Since December 1991, Mavis has operated a birthing home for mothers from poor communities in Antipolo, a large town about 15 miles east of Manila. This home enables them to have pre- and post-natal care and deliver their babies in a loving, Christian environment. Without this birthing home, many of these births would normally have taken place in the mother's home without any professional help, and with the local traditional spiritist birth attendant. It is hardly a surprise to learn that many poor women in the Philippines describe a confinement as having "one foot in the grave".
The ministry is now supporting over 1500 births of extremely poor mothers each year many of which are delivered in Mavis' own house and ministry, the Shalom Christian Bahay Paanakan (Birthing Home).
Mavis, who is now in her seventies, continues the day-to-day midwifery work but is also praying that God will provide funds and personnel for a much larger and better equipped birthing home.
The next stage of development is the construction of a large birthing home with the capacity to support 2000 births each year. The building will cost £250,000 ($500,000). A site has been bought and about one tenth of the £250,000 construction cost has been secured.
ACTION is trusting God for the finances and many friends needed to make the ACTION Shalom Christian Bahay Paanakan new building project a reality, thereby helping to provide the Philippines with a God honoring, midwifery center that is truly accessible for the medical and spiritual needs of the poor in Jesus Name for His glory!
Ingo Abraham
UK ACTION Director
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