Hi friend!
Seven months ago - in March, you made it possible for Melanie and I to go to Jamaica to host a pro-life workshop to train students to be leaders for life. And now the first ever pro-life student clubs in the Caribbean are up and running! Why is it important that there is pro-life advocacy in Jamaica? For the past couple years, the Jamaican government has faced extreme pressure to legalize abortion. Despite the fact that abortion is illegal, one out of five Jamaicans are killed by abortion. And only one pro-life pregnancy center exists in the whole Island of 3 million people. Today Daniel shared with our team what happened since the workshop. Maybe you remember the miracle of the woman who prayed to give her life to the Lord after the event at the ice cream shop? We also prayed for her back to be healed (she had just been in a car accident) and it was healed! This encounter confirmed to Daniel that God was with them and they were on the right track. Something else happened that weekend also impacted their team of passionate young Christians. In our why pro-life talk, we shared a verse which they couldn't shake from their minds. A verse referring to a practice done at the time of the Children of Israel's entrance into Canaan. Thinking that it would make them wealthy and prosperous, people burned their babies in the fire to their god Molech. "The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 'Say to the people of Israel, Any one of the people of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn in Israel who gives any of his children to Molech shall surely be put to death... I myself will set my face against that man and will cut him off from among his people, because he has given one of his children to Molech, to make my sanctuary unclean and to profane my holy name. And if the people of the land close their eyes at all to that man when he gives one of his children to Molech, and do not put him to death, then I will set my face against that man and against his clan and will cut them off from among their people, him and all who follow him in whoring after Molech.'" - Leviticus 20:1-5 It's easy to know that abortion is happening and know it's wrong, but to turn our eyes away. But if we do this, God says that he will set his face against us. Since we know what is happening, we are now responsible. We must take action. And a band of about 15 passionate young Jamaicans in their 20s and 30s decided to do something. They divided up the students into schools and assigned one person from their team to mentor each student group. They hosted a summer camp and pool parties. Then this fall after a lot of planning and training, they launched the first ever pro-life university and high school groups in Jamaica. As of this fall, there are now pro-life groups at the Jamaica Theological Seminary, Belmont Academy, and the University of the West Indies. These are the first ever pro-life student clubs in the whole Caribbean. And your support made them possible. Students tried to start pro-life groups in several other high schools, only to be met with pushback from their administrations saying things like, "We already have a Christian club on campus. Why don't you do an event once a semester with them instead?" Last week during our regular strategy calls, Daniel and I talked through a plan to counter this. I'll keep you updated on what progress is made! Daniel is also launching two accompanying initiatives in Jamaica which will work hand in hand with the Students for Life clubs to create a pro-life culture across the country. A doctor himself, Daniel organized their first meeting for Doctors for Life, creating a network of pro-life doctors across the Island who can provide free medical care to women in crisis pregnancy. A couple weeks ago, Daniel met with the archbishop from Jamaica, asking him for his support in another sister initiative: Friends for Life. Modeled after a Dutch pregnancy help organization which I told Daniel about when we were in Jamaica, Friends for Life will create a buddy system of individuals from churches across the Island to mentor local women throughout and after their crisis pregnancy. When a girl in crisis pregnancy contacts them and after the initial crisis counseling, a "friend for life" from her local community will meet up with her for coffee and form a mentorship relationship. If the mom needs anything (food, diapers, etc.) the mentor will purchase the items and be reimbursed from funds which the Students for Life clubs raise. It's still in the beginning phases, but Daniel and his team have already been in touch with their first mom - code named Ana. She was impregnated by her dad. Her parents have said that they'll kick her out of their home when the baby is born. She's due in a few days. Please be in prayer for Ana and the Jamaican team as they launch the Students for Life clubs, Friends for Life, and Doctors for Life to create a culture in Jamaica which supports life. Your support helped inspire Daniel. Your support made the trainings possible. Your support is helping mothers like Ana. Thank you. With God, the impossible is possible.
Daniel, Melanie, and I with the Love March Movement team and our new sister after she prayed with tears streaming down her face to let Jesus be the Lord of her life. The Jamaican team produced myth buster videos on: "My Body, My Choice," "Abortion is okay in Rape Cases," "Abortion is Safe," and "Men Shouldn't have a Say in Abortion."