She is Colleen Mitchell. The baby in her arms is only a few days old, or perhaps just a few hours. He is the child of a woman from the Cabécar Indigenous group, one of the most representative Indigenous communities in Costa Rica. The reality faced by pregnant Cabécar women continues to be one of the country’s most invisible social and healthcare issues, especially in the most remote regions of Costa Rican territory.
I met Colleen in April of this year during our first class in doula training (prepartum, labor, and postpartum support) in the city of San José. From her introduction and throughout the days we shared, I developed a deep admiration both for all the social service work she carries out and for her humanity and the support she offers to pregnant Cabécar women.
Together with her husband Greg and their five sons, Colleen is part of a Catholic missionary family that left their home in Louisiana in January 2011 and settled in Turrialba, in the province of Cartago, Costa Rica, in order to fulfill their vocation of helping the most vulnerable populations, especially pregnant Cabécar women and their families.
The place and the problem
In the mountainous reserves of the Chirripó district in Turrialba lies the largest concentration of the Cabécar population. Far removed from civilization, living among the mountains and divided into 60 villages scattered throughout the territory, the Cabécar people have preserved all of their traditions and continue their customs and routines far from the rush of modern life. However, this also brings challenges. One of them is that, living deep in the mountains, they lack nearby access to medical services that could improve their quality of life and prevent unnecessary losses among pregnant Cabécar women.
One of the most evident problems arises when a Cabécar woman becomes pregnant. Living so far away and facing great difficulties accessing prenatal care, pregnant Cabécar women are exposed to enormous risks if complications arise during pregnancy or when labor begins. In many cases, they must walk for long hours to reach the nearest hospital. Some even take up to two days to complete the journey.
There have been cases of women giving birth along the way. Others arrive at the hospital only to discover they were not yet in labor, and are then sent back home to wait. Once again, they must walk for hours along rough mountain paths. This is a common reality for many pregnant Cabécar women.
There is also the mother who returns to her village with her newborn baby, only to discover that the child has a health problem, forcing her to travel back to the hospital once again. Or the woman who must leave her baby in intensive care for several days without having a place to sleep, bathe, or eat. Many pregnant Cabécar women and new mothers endure these situations in complete vulnerability.
Because of all this, the Cabécar population has experienced infant and maternal mortality rates up to nearly five times higher than the rest of Costa Rica’s population.
Creating the St. Francis Emaus Center
Witnessing this reality, the Mitchell family decided to create the St. Francis Emaus Center, one of the projects operated through their NGO, St. Bryce Missions. There, they receive expectant Cabécar mothers days or even weeks before and after childbirth, together with their newborns, providing a comfortable, safe, and warm environment for pregnant Cabécar women.
The center is equipped to host up to 10 mothers and their babies. They not only provide shelter and food, but also offer workshops designed to improve the quality of life of both mothers and children, including:
** Prenatal care and nutrition
** Childbirth preparation
** Early childhood development
** Understanding fertility and cycles
In 2014, the Mitchell family received wonderful news: according to that year’s statistics, the infant mortality rate among the Cabécar population had decreased by a remarkable 50%. The project does more than provide support and refuge for pregnant Cabécar women. It is literally saving lives.
This was confirmed in a letter written by Dr. Carmen Rodríguez Picado, Medical Director of the Turrialba Jiménez Health Area.
Beyond the obvious beauty and value of the work carried out within this center, what has moved and inspired me most is the love Colleen has for what she does, for “her women,” as she calls them.
Pregnant Cabécar Women: Doing Something for Those Most in Need
Colleen inspires others to help and to do something for those most in need. She is a woman deeply passionate about her work. Colleen is always striving to improve the support she provides. She also seeks new ways to connect with a population that, because of its very particular culture, is not easy to reach. Her work with pregnant Cabécar women is rooted in respect, care, and empathy.
For this very reason, she constantly looks for new tools and knowledge that can help her in her mission. I have personally seen how she puts into practice every lesson she learns in the doula course we share, as soon as she has the opportunity to meet with one of the women staying at the shelter, many of them pregnant Cabécar women.
I believe we have much to learn from people like Colleen and her family. Perhaps we are not in a position to build a shelter or dedicate ourselves entirely to volunteer service. However, we can always do something for others. Sharing and amplifying stories like this, as well as initiatives focused on pregnant Cabécar women, can help us build a kinder future for everyone. To Colleen and her family, thank you for helping and inspiring us.
