After seven and a half years of ministry, Sidewalk Advocates for Life is making a major leap in expansion. While SAFL has been blessed with steady growth, our organization is now poised to quickly cover more abortion facilities with trained Sidewalk Advocates.
The Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area ranks third in the nation for abortion, with over twenty abortion facilities. And as only God can do, He began to put people in place to answer this great need for prayer and peaceful outreach at each facility in South Florida.
First, we were introduced to Linda Fernandez, a Miami native with a big heart to serve. When members of the SAFL National Team met with her, Linda said:
“I’ll help in whatever way I’m called.”
After receiving God’s healing mercy following her own abortion trauma, Linda felt called to give back to the pregnancy-help movement and was eager to bring SAFL’s program to her community. Meanwhile, Rebecca Brady and Angela Curatalo with the Archdiocese of Miami were praying about taking big steps in their Respect Life Ministry.
The ministry already sponsored prayer vigils at nine abortion facilities in the area. Rebecca and Angela wanted to provide life-affirming options to the women entering these facilities and more, but they also wanted the right partnership to bring Christ’s love to the sidewalk. They found that partnership with Sidewalk Advocates for Life.
The inaugural training hosted by SAFL in English and Spanish saw nearly 100 volunteers become new Sidewalk Advocates to cover 24 facilities in South Florida! Many expressed they had no idea so much was involved in sidewalk outreach and met this new opportunity with great enthusiasm. Upon her return from the training, SAFL President & CEO Lauren Muzyka shared:
“Our ‘yes’ to God is so powerful. Their ‘yes’ was a huge first step for SAFL’s regional approach to reaching several uncovered facilities at once.”
With this new approach, a national team member is dedicated to overseeing multiple locations in an abortion-plagued area, providing local leaders tools and support. Linda, our new Southeast Program Coordinator, has already launched an amazing team of volunteers in South Florida. And thanks to the generous support of our ministry partners and devoted Sidewalk Advocates, this vision is within reach for other major cities.
Please keep these efforts in your prayers, and if you are interested in learning more about our expansion plans and how you might support them, please contact our Vice President of National Expansion and Development Bethany Mistretta at bethany@sidewalkadvocates.org.