Birthing Boaz
Planning doesn’t guarantee success, money isn’t everything, but faith in the Almighty is.
Seamus and Naomi O’Donovan are expecting their seventh child—but that’s the least of their worries. Having safely birthed six children at home, they hoped to do the same again. But in Ireland, where strict regulations and risk-based screening could sharply limit a mother’s options, their birth choices vanished almost overnight.
At a crossroads, the O’Donovans take a leap of faith. With six young children in tow, they leave their West Cork homestead on an 8,000-mile journey by land and sea to seek a midwife who will support a natural, home-based birth. Camping through Europe, they homeschool on the move and follow a winding trail through Paris, Rome, Athens—and finally, Jerusalem.
In Israel, they’re aided by Judy, a motherly, no-nonsense Israeli-American midwife, as they navigate unfamiliar terrain and a system far from their own. What begins as a mission to have a baby becomes a life-altering journey filled with unexpected challenges, blessings, and the quiet refining of faith under tremendous pressure.
Birthing Boaz is a heartfelt, true story of one family stepping out in faith and learning to trust God for more. It’s a must-read for anyone who’s ever felt squeezed by the system but stirred by the Spirit. This is what it looks like when obedience costs something—and grace carries you through.