Dear Friend,
I meant to send you this email a little over a week ago, but since then a lot has happened... It's better late than never, right?
I can't stop smiling. I just hung up a WhatsApp video call through which I spoke at a church service in India. At the end some of the believers said, "before this we didn't know about abortion, but now we do and we know that it is killing a human." They said that there are thousands of abortions in their village and asked how to counsel girls considering abortion. We're working with them to form a local action team to carry on the efforts in a sustainable fashion in their community.
What did I share that opened their eyes?
Before I spoke I asked God what I should speak about and the words "encourage them" and the story of Esther came to mind. Like the Christians in India who are a minority and are persecuted for their faith, Esther was also persecuted and her people were to be killed. In the face of fear, she turned to God. And then boldly and strategically spoke up to save her people's lives.
Globally one out of three people are killed before birth.
These are all people like you and I. People who like you are loved by God. Loved more than you can ever imagine. I asked everyone to open their Bible to Jeremiah 1:5 and they read it aloud in Hindi: "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you came out of the womb I set you apart and ordained you a prophet to the nations."
God loves you, knew you, and has a plan for your life even before you were conceived.
Yet sometimes we choose to give into fear, instead of choosing faith. And we choose to kill another human being.
This is why Jesus had to die. To take the price for what we have done wrong - our sin. If we have believed on Christ and surrendered our life to Him, we know that "if you confess your sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
If we have been forgiven, we ought to then help others and rescue those appointed to death. Maybe you're making excuses, like I have done in the past. And like Jeremiah did: "Ah, Lord God! I can't speak: I am a child!" (Jeremiah 1:6)
What does God say to us in response? "Do not say that I am a child, for you shall go to everywhere that I send you and whatever I command you, you shall speak. Don't be afraid of their faces: for I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD" (Jeremiah 1:7-8).
What's been happening?!
Virtual Workshop for African Leaders Recently from 7 to 10 am my teammate Melanie and I led a two-day workshop for students and community leaders from Burundi, Uganda, Nigeria, and Kenya. We walked them through the pro-life basics and then helped them create a 90-day plan to empower and equip the young people in their communities to lead for life.
Our First Pod Cast is Live! Recorded in Guatemala City, the podcast features Panamanian law student and pro-life activist Greg Watson. What are the laws regarding abortion in Panama and what are a new wave of young people doing about it? Listen to the podcast to find out!
Volunteer & Job Opportunities We're accepting applications for regional coordinators to train and mentor leaders in Africa and Asia and a part-time strategic partnership director. We also need remote volunteers with every skill set (including communications, marketing, IT, website design, graphic design, writing, coordination, executive assistance, etc.), so if you have free time and a willing heart, let me know and we'll get you plugged into changing the world with Christ!
Blessings, Bethany