A Passion for Pink

Recently I started working odd shifts at the hospital in order to cover the rooms in the afternoons.  I was lamenting this fact as it affords me much less time with the kids and makes life a bit harder for Ken in the evenings to study.  One particular day I came in late only to find out I had to take care of a patient that had been bleeding for a few days due to an abortion gone wrong.  When I was first talking to her in pre-op, trying to get the facts so I could get an idea of her health history, etc..., she seemed very brave and not just a little defensive, asking lots of questions, especially about why she needed to go to sleep for her procedure instead of just taking another pill or something like she did before for her abortion.  I explained to her better the procedure, risks, and why it was advisable to have anesthesia.  She said OK and I went to check on something in another room. 

When I returned the other two nurses standing around were closing the curtain and I assumed she might be trying to sleep.  A few seconds later I could hear her softly crying.  I asked the nurses if she was crying and they nodded yes and walked away.  I now knew why I had to work the late shift that day.  I went to see her and told her that I felt God wanted me to tell her that He loves her.  That although she is confused and hurting, He can give her peace.  We talked for a while about what she was going through.  I asked her if I could pray for her and she said yes.  I prayed with her and through the prayer shared the gospel with her, telling her of the great love God had for her by sending His Son to die for her so she can be forgiven.  It was a rare moment that I have time with a patient like that, but I knew it was God-appointed and I continue to pray for that girl who is so like many of the other girls I saw when I was a counselor at Sav-a-Life.

This month is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Statistics say that over 465,000 women die each year worldwide from breast cancer.    This means that approximately 1 in 35 women will die in their lifetime from this disease. They say that awareness is changing these numbers and dramatically bringing down the number of deaths due to early detection and prevention.  Everywhere you go you see pink this month, at the store, at school, the restaurants, even the NFL is wearing pink.  It seems that everyone wants to do their part to save women's lives.

So what about the life of an unborn baby?  Statistics say that 1.37 million babies are aborted each year in the U.S.  Worldwide the number is staggering - 42 million babies die each year.  That is over 90 times more deaths than breast cancer every year!  In the world 1 in 4 women will have an abortion in their lifetime.  In countries like Russia and China the number is even greater with each woman having an average of 4 abortions during her lifetime.  Closer to home, in New York, 7 out of every 10 pregnancies end in abortion.

So why is there never talk of this?  Why do we not have awareness made of this?  If cancer kills, does not abortion do the same?  If we love our women enough to wear pink and tell them to get their "girls" checked regularly, do we not love our children and babies enough to tell women that abortion stops a beating heart?  How about the fact that these women are never the same again?  I have never, ever met a woman that 5-10 years down the road was happy she had an abortion.  Never.  In fact, these women live with a guilt for the rest of their lives that even becoming saved and knowing Jesus paid the price for that sin still haunts them many times.  Substance abuse among women who have had an abortion is 4 times more likely than a woman who has never had an abortion.  Intrestingly enough studies have also shown that abortion raises a woman's chance of having breast cancer by 12.5 % due to abrupt hormonal changes.   Approximately 1 in 100 women procuring an abortion is expected to die as a result of abortion-induced breast cancer.



So what can we do?  Here are 12 practical suggestions that can make a difference:

1. Pray daily for an end to abortion, for women tempted to have abortions, for doctors and nurses, for legislators, for clergy, for those who work in the pro-life movement, and for those who do not realize how wrong abortion is.


2. Wear the "Precious Feet" pin which shows the baby’s feet at 10 weeks after conception. (Available from Heritage House 800-858-30470.) You can also wear the pro-life red rose.

3. Use pro-life pins, decals, envelopes, bumper stickers, T-shirts, posters, etc.

4. Take part in pro-life street activities such as Life Chains, prayer vigils, literature distribution,  and sidewalk counseling. Attend the Annual January 22 March for Life, Washington DC (Call 202-LIFE-377).

5. Use checks which carry a pro-life message. Contact Identity Check Printers, Box 818, Park Ridge, IL 60068 (Call 708-PRO-BABY).

6. Speak up with courage and charity in defense of pre-born babies.  Do not be afriad to speak your beliefs in love with coworkers or friends.

7. Find out your doctor’s position on abortion. If he/she does abortions, express your disapproval by switching to a pro-life doctor. If a hospital near you does abortions, express your disapproval and use another hospital.

8. Distribute pro-life literature in public places, through the mail, on cars, etc.

9. Help to counsel women who are tempted to have abortions.

10. Support a local Crisis Pregnancy Center with donations of baby/maternity clothes and other needed items. If there is not a center near you, help to start one.
11. Find out whether candidates running for public office support abortion. Help with voter registration and education.

12. If you know someone that has had an abortion, spread the word that forgiveness, healing, counseling, and support groups are available for women who have had abortions. Call the National Office of Post-Abortion Reconciliation and Healing at 1-800-5-WE-CARE

Above all, I ask that anyone who knows someone who has had an abortion, please show God's love.  These women cannot undo what has already been done, and they need to know that we serve a Lord that loves and forgives if they are willing to be forgiven and accept Him as Lord of their lives.  I cannot tell you how important that is in the life of someone that is hurting from abortion. 

I myself have lost a grandmother to breast cancer.  She died shortly before my birth and I wonder if the special attention paid now to detection and prevention would have prevented her death.  I also wonder how many babies' lives could be saved if we had the same passion for the unborn as we do for breast cancer awareness.

Stats and helpful info I used for this blog:
www.abortionbreastcancer.com/The_Link.html
www.afterabortion.org/drugs.html
www.cpforlife.org/truth_about_abortion.htm
www.forums.catholic.com/showthread.php?t=249547

Peace in Troubling Times

I have been very bad lately about blogging. I apologize, but alas I did not have much inspiration lately as I have been mainly busy with work and life and knew that would not make for very interesting reading to anyone.

This last week however was special as we had some friends stay with us for a week from the mission field. They came with their 3 children to renew their passports and then return to the field. We were happy to have the opportunity to spend time with them again as we haven't seen them since language school. We were glad they were able to spend some good time resting and decompressing (something m's don't really get to do very often when they don't live near any other people from their own culture). Anyway, they are back in their place of service and we continue to pray for their ministry and health as the wife is struggling with some health issues currently.

Shortly after our friends left we learned of some developing problems in our former city of service, Quito, Ecuador. Apparently the police began a strike this week which involved an attempt to control the president. We lived literally 2-3 miles away from the hospital where much of this took place. Our friend Guy Muse put some of the details on his blog which you can check out below.

http://guymuse.blogspot.com/2010/10/sad-day-for-ecuador.html

Although we are not big fans of Correa's agenda and his method of leadership, it was sad to see the police allow this situation to become so dangerous for the people, with lawlessness and looting in the streets. A friend of mine who lives in Guayaquil told me on Facebook that she had friends who had lost everything in their stores within minutes of when the police started their strike. To me it shows that man is truly born of a sin nature and it is only through the grace of God and His divine intervention in our lives that we can live any differently from those who do not know Him.

Please take the time today to pray for Ecuador, the people, and the missionaries there that seek to share the gospel in a place torn by political strife, poverty, and such an obvious need for the Lord.


Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:5-6