VHM Mission Statement

The Virginia Homebirth Midwifery Mission Statement is based on Matthew 25:40 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' (The full parable is available to read below. )

I believe that ALL women deserve to have a wonderful birth experience no matter their economic status, their race, their family situation, their sexual orientation, or their spiritual convictions.

When I started working as a midwife I knew that I was being called to minister to women and their families. Many folks see the words "Minister or Ministry" and think of a roaring pastor on the pulpit but the actual definition is "Service". The desire of my heart is to serve women and their families. As I teach student midwives, I pray that I am instilling in them a servant's heart as well.

So why did I choose this verse to be the basis of our Mission? I believe that it very simply states how we should treat each other - as if we were caring for the Lord Himself.

Many Blessings!
Jeni Rector

About Jeni...

Matthew 25:31-46 (New International Version)

31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left."

34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'"

37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'"

40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'"

44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'"

45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'"

On Natural Birth...
The real question about safety is not whether you want a pleasant birth at home or a safe birth in the hospital? It is, “Do you want to give birth at home and run the miniscule risk of an emergency that might (but not necessarily would) be handled better in the hospital, or do you want to give birth in the hospital and run the considerably increased risk of infection, the certainty of additional stress, and the near certainty of having unnecessary (and potentially risky interventions?”) ~ Henri Goer