Great news is coming in from the front lines of our struggle against Planned Parenthood here in Aurora! If you haven’t gotten involved in the work to save babies and their mothers from abortion, I would urge you to join in. It is a peaceful, prayerful work and, as these stories will attest, vitally important. You can find all the details on how to join in the work here. I hear stories from our prayer warriors and sidewalk counselors almost every day about great things God is doing outside Planned Parenthood, but I heard two stories last week that I had to share with you all. The first story happened last Thursday and it comes from Sandy Bradford, one of our most dedicated sidewalk counselors:
Today I arrived at Planned Parenthood at 10:00 AM. 10:15 a car arrived, a man got out, came over to me and said with tears in his eyes “I don’t want to be here. She has stage 4 endemitriosis and wasn’t supposed o be able get pregnant. Yesterday the doctor told us she has a tubal pregnancy and we should go to the hospital, but she wanted to come here to get it taken care of.”
I told him this was the last place she should be and that he should take her to the hospital where real doctors were trained to help. He said she didn’t want him to come and talk to me. He took my literature. Then another sidewalk counselor joined us we both talked to him and prayed with him. He was struggling so. He said his name is Peter and her name is Rebekah. He went back to her. They stayed in the car until 11:00 and then went inside.
We prayed and prayed for them to come out. They didn’t. I felt strongly that I needed to stay until they came out. I waited all day for Peter to come out as many men do when the women go in for the “procedure”. He never came out. I prayed all day for them, that the Holy Spirit would embrace them and comfort them and hopefully change their minds. They didn’t come out for 4 1/2 hours! I was sure that she’d had the abortion. I kept praying that nothing would happen to her.
Finally at about 3:30 they came out and walked over to us saying that she didn’t do it. They did an ultrasound inside which clearly showed a baby in her uterus! We all rejoiced together, talked, cried, praised God! What an awesome experience! I am so grateful that the Lord allowed me to witness this miracle of His mercy and grace in such a profound way.
Peter said whatever we were doing out there worked. I said we were praying! God did the work. Then I gave them most beautiful handmade baby sweater set that had been given me when I first started SWC. Rebekah was overcome. We talked for quite a while about the baby and miracles, and they promised to keep me posted on her progress. I promised them that hundreds of people would be praying for them and their little one. They were so thankful. He believes in miracles and now she is beginning to also.
This couple really needs our prayers. Hers will be a high-risk pregnancy. She has received immunizations to go to Africa next week on safari. The doctor told her the baby could be deformed. She is very afraid – of the pregnancy and that something will be wrong with the baby. Please dear prayer warriors, continue to lift Rebekah and Peter and their little one up to the Lord for protection, perfect health and salvation!
The second story happened the very next day and was related to me by Connie Betz. Connie has really put herself out there for the cause of life and has suffered gladly the many hazards of sidewalk counseling. Planned Parenthood knows her by name and they are terrified of her precisely because of stories like this.
Connie was counseling Friday morning when she flagged down a car entering the PP parking log. She got them before they pulled in and convinced them to pull over to the Blockbuster parking lot to talk with her. They were a Hispanic couple in their 30’s with four children already. The husband had just recently lost his job and the wife only had a part time job. They had no idea how they were going to afford another baby and, though they didn’t want to go to Planned Parenthood, they felt like they had no choice. They had an abortion scheduled for that day!
Well, between Connie’s affable manner and the resources she had to offer, she was able to convince them not to go in for their appointment! They said they were headed for the Crisis Pregnancy Center in Elgin, near where they live. What a blessing those CPC’s are. Often the very thought that someone is willing to help them through this difficult time is enough to convince them to be open to the new life they have.
I am so encouraged by the reports like these that just keep coming in day after day! If you’re not out there involved in the prayer and counseling efforts, I would strongly encourage you to join in the battle. Connie told me that she feels the save she had last week was the direct result of increased prayer. Be a part of something of eternal importance! You can check out the prayer calendar and sign up for an hour to pray here. I hope to see you on the front lines!