What to do next?

My certificate arrived in the mail, and it's totally official now. I'm a certified childbirth educator.  I actually finished up the written course load about 6 months ago, but then I had to teach the course twice and record myself teaching some classes.  Everything was processed and approved!  It's definitely a sense of accomplishment, and really I'd say a step of faith.  God clearly pointed me in this direction, even coinciding the one training per year in exactly the city I was going to be passing through on exactly the dates I was there.  Really cool!

The three couples that I officially taught as a childbirth educator all wound up having great births.  Of course, something unexpected always comes up, but they were very happy with the outcomes.  Another few women that I helped by either being present at their birth or providing education or doula assistance in a more informal way also all were very content with their outcomes too.  Several of the women I was able to serve came back to me and told me what am impact I made in their lives...not only helping educate them, but supporting and encouraging them in a way that no one else was at the time.  A few mentioned what an impact the concentrated time as a couple in the birth classes meant for them in their marriage, and my relationships with all of the women continue on.  It's really been a neat and unique way to minister to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.  And an awesome way to build relationships.

Anyway, so now that I have my certificate, I've been trying to figure out what to do next.  So far, I've been only helping people through word of mouth.  But news spreads slowly, especially because it's such a unique area.  I'm currently assisting a few people informally via word of mouth, but I'd like to get something more formal going.  So, I've just been praying for God's direction.  I'm fine with slow and steady word of mouth if that's what God has for me in this, but I'm just seeing if there isn't something more.

A while back I stopped by the local hospital with one the pregnant women I was assisting.  The hospital director asked me if I was interested in volunteering at the hospital by just going around and assisting women in labor.  The role sounded interesting to me as I could gain experience as a doula and also maybe build relationships with women that I could follow up with later on.  I prayed that if God wanted me to do this, that He would open up the doors.

Do you ever pray a prayer that you're sure God will answer yes?  I figured this would be a no brainer, after all it was the hospital director who had suggested the idea!  But this week when I went to the hospital to fill out paperwork as a volunteer, they said it wouldn't be possible because all volunteers need someone to supervise them that has the same job as the volunteer.  I other words, I'd have to be supervised by a childbirth educator or a doula.  And since there aren't any in the hospital (and probably the woman supervising the volunteers didn't even know what one was :) the plan wouldn't work.  I even asked if a nurse or something could supervise me, but they won't allow it.  The hospital director wasn't interested in overturning the policy for me.

I was so surprised, after all I thought this was a no brainer prayer that God would answer yes...ha!  But I'm glad I prayed about it because I know He did answer, even if the answer is no.  I know He was guiding that decision and that isn't the way He wants me to use this certificate.

So, what to do next?  I've been brainstorming the idea of setting up a facebook page just with the basic information of how I can help women.  See, when I google "birth education in Boa Vista" or "doula in Boa Vista" or "natural birth Boa Vista" or anything of the sort (in Portuguese of course) I come up completely empty handed.  Nothing to go on!  Not a contact, not a doctor, not a blog, not a webpage, nothing.  So, even a simple facebook page (one I don't even update but just use as a contact page of sorts) might allow someone who is searching for someone like me to find me and they could send me a message right through the page.

So, that's the next plan.  I'm praying about that too.  Not a no brainer type prayer this time. One really looking for direction to see if that's how He wants to bring people my way.  

So, we'll see what He wants to do with this certificate of mine!