PROGRAMS  |  MY SISTERS' KEEPER

My Sisters' Keeper

A Message from Reverend Dr. Carlton W. Veazey, President and CEO, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice

Make your voice heard! Please sign our petition to Congress.

Thank you for visiting ‘My Sisters’ Keeper’ – RCRC’s partnership with people of faith to increase U.S. support for international family planning and for the health and well-being of mothers throughout the world.

Did you know that every year in developing countries in Africa, Asia and elsewhere:

• More than half-a-million women die from pregnancy-related causes,
• Millions of women suffer serious health complications from pregnancy or childbirth.
• 4 million newborns die in the first month of life.

The tragic toll of pregnancy and childbirth on women and infants in developing countries tests our sense of justice. But, as people of faith, we can make a difference, here at home. We can help save the lives of women and infants in the poorest nations of the world, improve women’s health, and empower women, men and families to have a better life. My Sisters’ Keeper is working with people of faith to educate and advocate for increased U.S. support for family planning and reproductive health services globally.

You can take action in your congregation!

Congress - It is very important to let your members of Congress know you support increased funding for international family planning services. Sign up at http://capwiz.com/rcrc/mlm/signup/ for RCRC action alerts that tell you when to contact Congress. 

Toolkit - Examine this issue in more depth using the RCRC My Sisters' Keeper Toolkit as part of an adult ed or social justice meeting. Click here for a copy by email.

Prayer - Please include a prayer for the well-being of mothers around the world any time you feel it would be appropriate. Click here to read our non-denominational prayer or view it below, on this page.

Sermon - Preach a sermon about the needs of women and especially mothers. Christian and Jewish sermon seeds provide the theological and scriptural grounding for sermons.

Poster - Place the My Sisters' Keeper poster in your congregation. It is available in three sizes, at no cost.

• Download the letter size poster (perfect for including in your newsletter or mailing)
• Download the legal-paper size poster
• Contact us for the large size poster (11 inches x 17 inches) - we will send it free of charge. Multiple copiesof this size poster will be sent by request.

Petition - Make our My Sisters' Keeper petition available to your congregation. It is an ideal way to encourage others to become informed about the issues of women's health globally. Download the petition. When it has been signed, please return it to us at RCRC, 1413 K Street NW, 14th Floor, Washington DC 20005 or fax it to us at 202-628-7716.

Whatever you decide to do, it will make a positive difference to women and families worldwide.

Please read more:

• Facts About The Need for Family Planning and Reproductive Health Services
• Views of People of Faith
  • Catholic - Catholics for Choice
    
  • Episcopal Church
  • Muslim - A Perspective
  • Presbyterian Church (USA)
  • Reform Jewish
  • United Church of Christ - A Perspective
  • United Methodist Church
  • Unitarian Universalist
  • Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

A Prayer for Mothers

Leader: Today we give thanks for mothers.
All: For loving nurturers and strong providers.

Leader: For mothers who birthed us, for mothers who raised us, mothers of birth and of choice.
All: For stepmothers and adoptive mothers and all those who have a mothering role in our communities. We give thanks.

Leader: For mothering energy in all its sources, from women, from men.
All: For the Creator God who is mother to us all—we give thanks.

Leader: Today we give thanks, we give praise—and we remember the dangers of motherhood.
All:  Giving thanks is not enough. We must do more to protect mothers here at home and around the world.

Leader: So many die in childbirth. So many more become sick or injured during pregnancy.  
All: Give us strength, O God, to do all we can, to protect these most vulnerable women.

Leader: We think not only of mothers we know, mothers in our family, in our community.
All: In this our global family, every woman is my sister. Every woman, even those whose name and face I will never know, is my sister, a fellow child of God.

Leader:  For every woman who dies while bringing new life into the world—who dies because she could not access medical care.
All: Am I my sisters’ keeper?

Leader: For every infant life that ends too soon, due to lack of health care. For the pain of that mother’s loss.
All: Am I my sisters’ keeper?

Leader: For every woman who wishes to be a mother but cannot. For every woman who does not have the resources to have a healthy pregnancy and to care for the children she already has.
All: Am I my sisters’ keeper?

Leader: We are our sisters’ keepers. We are the hands of God, the work of the divine in the world.
All: We give thanks to our mothers, by praying and working for the safety of mothers and future mothers throughout the world.

Leader: Creator God, Mother and Father—protect and watch over mothers. Give your strength and protection and love to all who give a mother 's love to those in their family or their community.
All: Loving God, keep mothers safe. And give us the strength to work to ensure that all who wish to bring life into the world can do so in safety and joy.

Leader: Am I my sisters’ keeper?
All: I AM my sisters’ keeper!