Far from Home: Italy

Imagine being pregnant with your first baby while living in a foreign country where you had no parental support, no close friends, and no knowledge of the health care system. That’s the position this Tupelo mom found herself in. Originally from Italy, Irina* moved to the US a few years ago to get married. When she became pregnant, COVID restrictions and her father’s health issues prevented her parents from being able to come to the US to be with her.

One by One matched Irina with her mentor, Ann*, a stepmother to two older children and mother to a four year-old, who was eager to use her experiences in rearing her children to help another mom. As mom to a preschooler, Ann says she isn’t too far removed from the baby stage. “I remember, and I understand.”

Since their match this fall, Irina and Ann have met several times, and Irina says they text all the time. “Ann has been really sweet and very helpful when I ask questions. If she can’t answer a question immediately, she will call to get the information and get back with me.” Irina really appreciates Ann’s knowledge and experience. “She is teaching me how to take care of my baby and how to be a good mom.” Ann is also helping Irina navigate the US health care system. “She’s helping me get a pediatrician. Where I’m from you’re assigned a doctor. I had no idea how to find a doctor or how the hospital system works.”

Ann says Irina has been really open to their relationship. “She’s accepting and willing to listen to advice and to the information I share. She’s reached out with really difficult questions.” Ann also says she’s marveled to see how God is using her to minister to Irina. The two were matched when Irina was 8 months pregnant, so Ann said she just pulled a couple of lessons from One by One’s prenatal curriculum to share. “The first time we met, I asked her if she had any concerns. She was worried about bonding because her husband had issues bonding as a child. And I had actually pulled the lesson on bonding to share with her that day. The second time we met, I asked her biggest fear. She was concerned about post-partum depression because she had struggled some with depression in the past. And I had brought the curriculum for post-partum depression! It was really cool to see how God used me. I didn’t know she would ask about either issue; I had just picked what I thought were random lessons that would be good, but God was picking exactly what she needed.”

Irina and her husband are now proud parents of a beautiful baby boy. Irina hopes to take her baby to Italy in February to visit her parents. Meanwhile, she and Ann continue to meet. Ann says, “God really does hear every little prayer and directs all the steps. It’s really neat to see that.”

*Names changed for privacy