This week at Holy Spirit, we value empathy. This is seen in how we understand or feel what another person is experiencing – by being able to place oneself in another’s position. Empathy can be shown by students in showing others that they care about and are sorry about someone else’s troubles, grief or misfortune. During this time of Lent, we encourage children to show empathy to others by being conscious another person’s perspective or point of view.

This week's feature story is 100% LOVE with Salma from Bangladesh.

Salma lives with her husband, Masud, in the rural community of Gazipur, two hours from Bangladesh’s bustling capital.

She was just 18 years old, pregnant and fearful for her life and that of her unborn child, when she featured in Project Compassion 2013.

In Bangladesh, maternal and infant mortality rates are still tragically high. During her first pregnancy, Salma was very sick, she experienced abdominal pain and couldn’t eat. She sought the help of a midwife called Pronoti, trained by Caritas Australia’s Safe Motherhood Program.

Pronoti helped Salma safely through two pregnancies, thanks to her comprehensive training in midwifery, antenatal and postnatal care.

The program has reduced maternal and infant mortality in the area by almost 70 percent. Over 400 women have been trained in midwifery since 2008 – and they have given over 28,000 women antenatal checkups and delivered more than 15,000 babies.

Now 24, Salma smiles as she watches her one-year-old boy and six-year-old daughter play together. She is pleased that they are growing up strong and can focus on their hopes for the future.

“If the Safe Motherhood Program had not trained midwives like Pronoti, many of us would have to go to the private clinics 11 kilometres away.Some of us women and our babies might die because of that.”

“We are poor and so it is easy to get discouraged about the future. However, if we have hope, we have the courage to try and do things that seem difficult or impossible at the time.”

This Friday night, a number Year 5 and 6 students will be presenting Stations of the Cross. The students have put in a fantastic effort and we look forward to seeing them on the night. The children are certainly to be congratulated for their efforts.