When Hope Felt Lost

We want to share a story that is so close to our hearts — a story of courage, of faith, of new life — and one of the many beautiful testimonies we’ve received from a Hope Alive “Nanay,” which means “mother” in Filipino.

This is Nanay Teresa. She’s 32 years old and a mother of four. Her children are aged 12, 11, and 2 — and the youngest, a little miracle girl named Jillian, was born at Hope Alive Clinic.

Teresa and her husband were already walking a difficult road. When the pandemic hit in 2020, life changed drastically. Her husband lost his job, and they were suddenly fighting just to survive. Some days he’d find a bit of construction work, but with the economy struggling, those days were few and far between.

While both parents went out to search for work, their 11-year-old daughter would care for the toddler at home. Food was scarce. They relied on the kindness of others — including Hope Alive — just to keep their family fed.

And then, Teresa found out she was pregnant again.

Throughout her pregnancy, she came faithfully to our clinic for checkups. But with dangerously high blood pressure, often as high as 180/100, she was considered high-risk — the kind of case that would normally require hospital delivery. The risk of seizures, stroke — even death — was very real.

But then, just a few days after joining our Christmas outreach celebration — Teresa suddenly went into labor. At only 35 weeks.

She didn’t hesitate — she ran to Hope Alive Clinic.

And when she arrived — the baby was already crowning. But instead of a head… we saw a bottom. It was a breech birth — and a premature one at that.

We normally do not deliver premature babies at our clinic.

And we definitely don’t deliver breech babies in a high-risk pregnancy.

But there was no time. This little one was on her way — now.

Then things got even more serious.

We saw meconium in the waters — the baby’s first stool — a sign she was in distress. And when she was born, she was tiny… purple… and not breathing.

Our Chief Midwife, Ate Rona, immediately jumped into action — suctioning, doing chest compressions, bagging breaths into her lungs — all while an ambulance was called.

Seven minutes.

For seven long minutes, we fought for that baby’s life.

And then — we heard it.

That unmistakable sound.

That beautiful, miraculous cry of a newborn.

And we all burst into tears. Tears of joy.

Praise God.

Baby Jillian was alive.

We rushed her and Teresa to the hospital, where Jillian was placed in an incubator. She weighed only 3.3 pounds. She spent three days in the NICU, and a few more on the ward.

At the hospital, Jillian’s father told the doctor how she was revived at Hope Alive Clinic.

And do you know what that doctor said? He had heard stories — stories of babies brought back to life at our little clinic. And he said he loved the way we care for these babies. All glory to God.

Weeks later, Teresa brought Jillian back to us. But something was wrong — she had only gained a few grams. Barely any weight at all. Teresa said, through tears, “I have no milk.” She had switched to formula, desperate to feed her daughter, no longer breastfeeding at all.

But God wasn’t done with this story.

Doctor Tanya stepped in. She gently taught Teresa — and all of our staff— how to supplement tube-feed while breastfeeding, to stimulate Teresa’s milk supply. We invited Teresa to stay at the clinic for 24 hours, guiding her through feeding, pumping, caring… hoping. And by the end of that day, with tears in her eyes, Teresa was able to breastfeed Jillian — her own milk, her own body providing the nourishment her baby girl so desperately needed.

She was overjoyed. And so were we.

Not only was she able to feed Jillian again — she was able to save money she didn’t have to spend on formula. She left with strength in her step and a new confidence in her eyes.

Just a week later, baby Jillian weighed 4.7 pounds — a massive improvement. She was growing, thriving… and smiling.

And maybe the most beautiful part of all?

Nanay Teresa told us she met Jesus at Hope Alive.

She said she had come to trust fully in Him — in His timing, His provision, His love. And now, she visits us often — not just for checkups, but to say thank you. To say she remembers. To say she’s grateful.

And we say this to you: thank you. Thank you for being part of this story. Because of your support, your prayers, your partnership — we were able to be there when Teresa needed us most. We were able to witness a miracle. We were able to save a life. We were able to share the hope of Jesus. And this — this is just one story. There are so many more. Because of you.

Thank you for being part of the Hope Alive family.

Thank you for making miracles possible.