Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Reclaiming Mothers Day 2010!

Bend MAU is celebrating Mothers Day this year with our 3rd Picnic at Harmon Park.

Come on by from noon-2pm for music, Julia Ward Howe's inspirational Mother's Day Proclamation, dancing, kids games, and community fun.

We will be collaboration with the Oregon Midwifery Council to raise support for a relief birthing center network that first opened in Bali and has now expanded to Haiti.

http://www.bumisehatbali.org/

Please start gathering baby blankets, and sturdy tents and tarps to send as donations. We will also be hosting a bake sale to raise funds for shipping. Come enjoy a day by the river and send some mother love around the world!

Contact:
Kate Ast
kate.r.ast@gmail.com

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

rebirth

Hey Central Oregon,

Over the past year, I have had the amazing privilege of assisting a wonderful midwife here in Bend. I have learned more than I can say in words about the strength of motherhood. I have whitnessed amazing families laugh, cry, dance, and roar their babies into the world. I have enjoyed a sisterhood of midwives that reminds me of the yoga term seva, "self less service."

Midwifery is as old as the earth and just as sacred.

Waking up in the wee hours of the morning, leaving my children snug in their beds and traveling to another families home to attend their birth has also allowed me to notice the moon, the stars, on nights I normally would have slept on through. I have been graced dreamlike experiences watching siblings greet each other in their parents arms, watching men thank their women as they pushed out new life....I have learned more about love and how much we can accomplish as women. We are infinite, incredible and capable of more than we ever imagined.

We give birth in many ways and this brings me back to MAU. In my story, I need to pass on the midwife hat, dive back into my own young family, and continue to serve the global family through MAU. Someday those hats will merge...How badly do I want to go be with women giving birth in Haiti! Sustainable, smart growth Kate...all things that apply to our environment apply to us as well.

So, I vowe to twitter! Which for any of you who know my technoknowhow is HUGE. Yes, Joellen I will twitter for a better planet, what the heck. Join me!
This Thursday, twitter for ending world hunger and for conversation about Haiti info below:

Join MAU each Thursday for a tweetchat (an online chat in 140 character tweets) 10am PT.
Join at: www.tweetchat.com.

Enter MAUact at the #hashtag and you’re good to go. The chat lasts for one hour, and it’s okay to watch without adding, but don’t be shy for long!
To get started: Go to www.twitter.com and sign-up. To find followers: start by following @mothersactingup, then look at @mothersactingup followers and troll for the most interesting people.
Follow them. Post something everyday, and respond or retweet someone’s comments everyday. Stay tuned for upcoming MAU tweet trainings!