James 4; 15 Instead say” If the Lord wills we will live and to do this and that”

The Norris Family’s desire, if it Gods will, is to enter the mission field through the Philippines serving with Mercy Maternity Center. While serving, Jenny will be working full time with Mercy Maternity and receiving an associate’s degree in midwifery while being trained specifically for the mission field with Newlife International School of Midwifery as a part of the overall mission. Greg will be assuming the role of homeschooling, nurturing and raising 4 children serving our Lord away from the western world. On this Adventure we intend to be fully supported by charitable contributions for ministry and living expenses. We also intend to be fully supported by non charitable contributions for tuition and fees for the classes themselves. If it is His desire as well, these intensions will be fulfilled in His time.

Overview of Mercy Maternity Center & Newlife International School of Midwifery

Mercy Maternity center (MMC)

Mercy Maternity Center is a charity birthing clinic located in Davao City, Philippines. It was established in 1996 to provide compassion-based maternal healthcare to women living in severe poverty conditions. Mercy also serves as a clinical training site for students desiring to study midwifery within the context of a developing country. The primary focus of Mercy Maternity Center is to use midwifery skills as a way to show God's kindness and love to people in a practical and relevant way.

Mercy Maternity Center has grown over the years from a small staff and delivering only a few babies each month to become the largest charity-based birthing center in the Philippines.

Almost 20,000 patients (prenatal exams) are served each year and approximately 1,500 babies are delivered annually. All services are provided free of charge. MMC is certified and licensed by the Philippine Dept. of Health (DOH) and it received an honorable recognition by the Philippine National DOH Undersecretary who after touring our facility named Mercy Maternity Center as the "model birthing center for the entire country."

An average of 1,500 babies are delivered every year at MMC.

MMC is the primary clinical training site for students studying at Newlife International School of Midwifery. The tuition fees paid by students attending the school go directly to fund MMC. This is deeply fulfilling for each student knowing the money they pay for their schooling is going directly to help the poor.

More than 150 foreign students have studied at Mercy Maternity Center. They have come from countries such as South Africa, China, Australia, Switzerland, Canada, Ireland, Denmark, Jamaica and the United States. We're proud to say that many graduates have gone into other countries around the world to work as missionaries or partner with humanitarian organizations.

 Newlife International School of Midwifery

Newlife International School of Midwifery is operated as an extension of our birthing center Mercy Maternity Center. A Christian school for direct-entry midwife students. Although our school is based on a U.S. curriculum and standards outlined by the National College of Midwifery the entire training is actually done in the Philippines. Most of our students are from the United States.

14,000 babies have been delivered at our clinic during the past 12 years.

Newlife International School of Midwifery is unique in that student tuition fees go directly to fund Mercy Maternity Center. The clinic is self-supported and funded by the tuition of students enrolled in our school. Therefore, knowing that each student's tuition is directly serving impoverished families, enrollment in Newlife International School of Midwifery can be deeply fulfilling. Each student actually functions as a missionary while they are studying at the school that is located on the mission field. Basically, students can earn a degree while serving the poor in addition to learning how to be a missionary.

'Our goal is to train midwives who will make a difference in the world!'

A big part of our vision is to train and equip interested students to start their own birthing centers in other third-world countries. Our midwifery program will provide each graduate with the necessary skills and knowledge to practice anywhere in the world. Being a midwife opens many doors to countless opportunities. Some of our students have gone into other countries such as Nigeria, Afghanistan, Nepal, India, China, Yemen and some have chosen to return to the Philippines to work alongside us. 

Therefore, we are looking for the best because we view our involvement and commitment to our students extending far beyond their graduation. Presently we have many more people applying to the school than we have open positions for enrollment. We are obviously seeking students that enjoy a healthy relationship with the Lord. And, we place a very high value on personal integrity and an ability to socially interact with others in a way that honors and respects our fellow man. 

We believe that Christian midwives command a viable asset to the world Christian movement specifically involving foreign missions. It is our hope that the respective home churches of our students will recognize and embrace the enormous potential that an equipped and skilled midwife offers to their vision and commitment to world missions.

As we state, the entire context of Newlife School of Midwifery is fully immersed on the mission field. We feel the Biblical model of missions is primarily the extension of the local church body. Therefore, we are specifically seeking students that enjoy a healthy relationship with their home church. As part of our Financial Aid we offer a specifically developed grant that actually offers a scholarship complimenting this premise called The Directors Grant. This grant seeks to legitimize the role of a midwife as she is identified and connected to the cross-cultural mission vision of the student's local church.

'A Christian midwife is undoubtedly a viable cross-cultural missions commodity.'

The beauty of midwifery within the context of cross-cultural Christian missions is simply this; there are no cultural, religious or political barriers to expressing the compassion and mercy of Jesus Christ demonstrated through the hands of a Christian midwife. This reality is enhanced by the simple fact that it extends out to the family of the midwife's patient and subsequently grants access of her Christian witness into the patient's home. This exact story has been played out tens of thousands of times here in the Philippines involving our midwife students and their patients.

As a student at Newlife International School of Midwifery you will enjoy all of these benefits:

• A MEAC accredited program - Through the National College of Midwifery*
• Degrees in Midwifery - Issued by the National College of Midwifery*
• A pathway to receiving the certification of CPM
• Preparation to pass the NARM exam
• Mercy Maternity Center is an 'Out-of-Country' NARM Approved Clinical Site 
• Affordable tuition
• Loans, Grants and Scholarships are available
• Fulfillment in knowing that tuition is being used to fund a non-profit charity birth center in a developing country
• Low instructor-student ratio
• Students typically work in the birth room with 1:2 or 1:3 instructor-student ratio where they receive individualized instruction
• Instructors are well qualified and trained midwives
• An incredible life changing experience
• An opportunity to serve needy people
• A Christian-based education modeling biblical values (*not available in the US)
• A chance to learn midwifery while serving Christ on the mission field
• A unique learning environment
• The opportunity to learn primary health care skills along with your midwifery training
• Valuable outreach experiences in rural provincial areas

Although finding the right midwifery school can be a difficult decision, Newlife International School of Midwifery offers an incredible opportunity for students looking to study midwifery while making a difference in the world.

Associated estimated costs

·         Application fee                         $75

·         Deposit                                    $500          Nonrefundable

·         2010 NCMA admin fees          $3100

·         Tuition 5 semesters    

o         $9450        First 2 semesters up front for 100% supported missionaries

o        $11800      last 3 semesters 5^th semester ½ price for families

·         Course books                          $600

·         9g  missionary visa                   $4800

·         Airfare                                     $8500        One way there

·         Airfare                                     $8500        One way back

·         Housing set up                         $3000

·         Living expenses                        $77500      Calc at $2500 per month (max. hoping for less)

·         Transportation                         $7500         Purchase used auto

·         New Note Books(laptop)        $1200 

·         Narm Fees                              $1400         
         PEP fee, Cert fee ( North American Registry of Midwives)

·         Newlife Matches                    -$2500         Up to $500 per semester from church for tuition

·         Grants/ Scholarships available          

o     -$4500         Directors grant possible

o     -$500           Merci Maternity grant possible:

·         Cost Of Living Reimbursement                                 

o     -$1500         COLA $300 per semester                

A mission- minded family… knows that when the Lord guides He also provides.

What if it is Gods plan for our generation that the Norris Family enter the long term mission field through the Philippines serving with Mercy Maternity Center. What if His desire for us is fulfilled in this way? What if He is willing to relocate us another country to start our own maternity center? What if we just abide in Him? What if we do not make a move until He ordains it? What if?  The possibilities are endless; this may just very well be the beginning of His long term work in us.  And we are waiting at His feet…

God Bless,

Greg & Jenny