Dear Friend of Life:
Sometimes we make plans …and God redirects us!
Our new Program Assistant, Jenna, and I just got back from a whirlwind tour of our locations in Central Florida. We had plans to start in Port Charlotte, travel to Ft. Lauderdale and end in Winter Haven.
In the middle of the week, we went out to the abortion facility in Ft. Lauderdale to meet with our Program Director, Anthony. We saw just a couple of cars in the parking lot — thankfully, a low traffic day for them — and a couple of abortion workers going in and out.
Another one of our Ft. Lauderdale Program Directors, Tewannah, met up with us on the sidewalk soon after we arrived. Suddenly, a couple of people were leaving the abortion facility; Tewannah — with her contagious, outgoing spirit — ran over to the corner where they were and started a conversation.
After several seconds of discussion, she yelled out, “Does anyone speak Spanish?”
“Yo hablo un poquito!” I yelled out, jogging towards the group.
I began to converse with them in my limited Spanish. (Yes, I actually double-majored in Political Science and Spanish at Texas A&M University, but when you go to law school in Michigan for three years, you lose some of it. I was definitely depending on the Holy Spirit to help me remember those words!)
In short, we found out that the woman we were speaking to was the cousin of a pregnant woman inside. The male with them was a dear friend who was helping this family. They also had a sister at home. Between the three women, they had six children — and of course, this one on the way. They were desperate. They had nothing. This cousin — in her heart of hearts — didn’t want her cousin to do it.
I told them about all the help available at the local pregnancy center — that we could help with food, shelter, clothing, etc. — anything they might need! And that abortion would just cause all of them pain, and in reality, do nothing to help their current situation. Abortion was not the answer. Remembering a line from my old sidewalk counseling director, Joanne, in Dallas, I told them: “It’s not the baby that’s the problem, it’s the situation you’re in. And we can help your situation and get you anything you might need. There is so much free help available.” They nodded vigorously, seemingly understanding the truth of those words.
The pregnant woman at this point came out. She didn’t really want to talk to us, but the family continued to converse with us. We got more of the story at this point — this woman was 6-weeks pregnant and had taken the first abortion pill recently, but thankfully, they determine that the baby was still okay after viewing an ultrasound that day. She planned to take the second pill that night or very soon. The abortion facility had scheduled her for a back-up surgical abortion in September.
We promised to come to their apartment later that day and deliver the material items they needed for their children and family. And we told them that we could prospectively reverse the first abortion pill. They agreed to receive any and all help we were offering.
This was it — it was time to call abortionpillreversal.com and try to save this baby.
I grabbed my smart phone and looked up the website and hotline provided. I called and a sweet operator named Liz picked up. I told her the situation, and she immediately began looking up their list of providers in Ft. Lauderdale, Miami and nearby suburbs. Meanwhile, we were still going back and forth with the family through broken Spanish. At this point, I called over Jenna and Anthony to get their help.
Jenna began looking up suburbs around the area to ensure we got connected to the closest physician within this ministry. Even though we were doing okay communicating with the family, Anthony volunteered to get his wife on the phone who spoke fluent Spanish so we could ensure that we didn’t miss anything. Meanwhile, Tewannah went next store to a Spanish-speaking church to connect them to a local ministry (since they weren’t interested in going with us right then to the pregnancy center).
Confirmed by Jenna’s research, Liz found us a doctor just 30 minutes south who would help get the mother on a progesterone regimen to reverse the effects of the first pill. We were told to wait for his call, and he would direct us.
By this time, Anthony’s wife, Anita, was on the line conversing with the family, and Tewannah had emerged from the church next door with their pastor and a doctor who was attending their prayer meeting! The church made arrangements to also meet with them that afternoon and assess their needs.
I finally realized that the phrase, “It takes a village,” had new meaning for us, indeed!
Jenna and I promised to bring them a large meal and needed material items that afternoon, as well, then take this woman to the doctor as soon as possible to reverse the effects of the first pill. They agreed …and we were off!
We went to the local thrift store and found enough clothing for all six children to build a few outfits each. While in the store, the doctor called and we made an appointment to bring her in that afternoon. He emphasized to us that his ministry in this regard was totally free — what a blessing! He also said that time was of the essence in reversing the first pill — we needed to get her in as soon as possible.
Jenna and I quickly finished up, paid and picked up a meal on the way to their apartment.
When we walked in, we saw just how desperate this family was — they had one queen mattress and one twin mattress on the floor between three adults and six children. They only had a handful of furniture. When we walked in with all the material items we picked up, the women began to smile and open up even more.
We told the pregnant mother that we needed to go to the doctor as soon as possible. She hesitated — something about her immigration status scared her enough to stay home. But she finally agreed to go with us the next morning.
Jenna and I were suppose to travel to the Orlando area that night in order to prepare to sidewalk counsel with our next location in the morning. Noting that this was probably the best opportunity to get her to the doctor, we ran to a coffee shop to make calls to rearrange our schedule and make plans to stay at a hotel in the area. We sent out prayer requests regarding the situation via social networking and additionally, updated the doctor.
Everything seemed to fall into place. Jenna even remembered that one of our colleagues was an immigration attorney and sometimes offered pro-bono services; we left him preliminary info with a promise to follow-up. We then ran to Walmart to pick up everything from a few inexpensive mattresses to needed school supplies for the children. After our shopping trip, we were able to finally rest at the hotel and prepare for the next morning.
First thing in the morning, we picked up breakfast for the family and headed over. When we arrived, the women explained to us that they had forgotten that this woman was required by immigration to stay home every Thursday. We were able to reach our immigration attorney friend who explained to us that urgent medical needs weren’t a problem as long as she contacted her immigration officer; however, again, she was very scared to leave the house in case there was a misunderstanding.
Finally, Jenna and I knew that our part — the part the Lord asked us to play — was complete. We had filled their immediate needs, and now, we were being called to transfer this family over to the care of the local Sidewalk Advocates in Ft. Lauderdale. As we left the home, we explained what would take place from here — that the local group would get her to the doctor as soon as she would go and that they would ensure that their basic needs were filled. They reassured us that she would not take the second abortion pill or go through a ‘back-up’ surgical abortion — and insisted on giving us big hugs as we walked out the door.
We got everyone locally up-to-speed, then continued our journey, carrying with us God’s peace that we did all that we could, encouraged that this baby was still okay and a mother’s heart was being changed!
Ironically, just one day later, we got word that a woman in Pensacola was working with local Sidewalk Advocates to reverse the abortion pill as well, utilizing the same ministry!
Both of these situations are still up in the air, so we humbly ask you to keep these women and preborn children in your prayers. But wow — what an opportunity to serve! And we don’t know what we would’ve done without abortionpillreversal.com! Be sure you get familiar with the help they offer in case you find yourself in a similar situation, trying to help a mother reverse the effects of the first pill.
Again, please continue to pray — and we will keep you posted!
ONE MORE REMINDER: Applications to bring Sidewalk Advocates for Life to your local community this Fall are open through August 31 — just 5 days remaining! Ready to apply? You can do so here: www.sidewalkadvocates.org/apply. Still have questions? Email us at info@sidewalkadvocates.org!
Friends, let us press on in this great work to save lives, transform hearts and end abortion!
What an incredible visit with the ladies in Winter Haven, FL!
Jenna and I had an opportunity to visit, strategize and sidewalk counsel with them on a couple different days this past week.
Several weeks before — when the ladies first started their program — they shared that they were having a lot of trouble figuring out what they could and couldn’t do in front of the shopping center that housed the Planned Parenthood abortion facility. Because of that, they had barely passed out any literature.
So, in short, we offered to come and sidewalk counsel with them.
After assessing the situation, I was able to jump right in and show them how they could hand out literature to people going into and leaving the shopping center in a law-abiding manner. Once Amy, Judy & Diane saw what they could do, they absolutely lit up — and followed suit, passing out more literature than ever before!
In fact, the excitement rippled out. More people from their church showed up the second day and learned out to effectively reach out. The ladies let us know that this new-found ministry would likely motivate even more local Christians to come out to the sidewalk and minister to those going in and out of the shopping center!
The ladies of Winter Haven are now on fire! Please keep them in your prayers!
WEEKLY DEVOTIONAL (AUGUST 24-30, 2014): “STAY AWAKE AND WATCH”
by Dan Miller, SAFL Program Advisor
Verse(s): “While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’” — Matthew 17:5
Reflection: In Matthew 17:1-9, we witness the story of the Transfiguration of the Lord, as testified to us. Peter, James and John are there with Jesus, Moses and Elijah as a voice coming from the bright cloud over them says, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him.”
What’s interesting to note is that in Luke’s (9:32) account of the Transfiguration, the three Apostles were asleep as Christ was transfigured!
How much of Christ’s glory have we missed because we were spiritually asleep? God only knows – but it is on us to remain awake and pray, so we will not “undergo the test” and may experience all the beautiful opportunities to serve and reap the harvest that He wants to give us!
Call to Action: As you head out to the sidewalk this week to pray and serve others, stay alert to how God might be talking to you. Sometimes, he doesn’t shout, but shows up in very subtle and beautiful ways. Keep your eyes peeled for how God might be working in your midst — He might be trying to speak to you in a very special way that you’ll miss if you don’t listen and stay alert to the Holy Spirit!