Testimonies

When I was in college my "safe sex" contraceptives I was given failed and I experienced an unplanned pregnancy. I was only given one option to take care of the problem. If a pregnancy care center like HOPE had been available, I could have received counseling and made an educated choice.

    - Debbie

My first client at HOPE was a young, pregnant woman who wanted to apply for material assistance through Hannah's Closet, our baby and maternity resource room. With a toddler already in tow, she really needed a double stroller. I told her we did not currently have one and asked her not to get her hopes up because they were rarely donated. Much to our surprise, the very next day someone from the community had a few things they wanted to donate to HOPE...one of the items was a double stroller. Situations like this happen all of the time at HOPE.

   - HPCC Peer Counselor

When I was 18, and found myself facing an unplanned pregnancy I did what most young girls do in that situation…panicked. I contacted the local family planning services and received my free pregnancy test. Then I received my free counseling. During that conversation I verbalized the word “abortion” for the first time. Back in the 1970s “abortion” was still a dirty word. When the counselor figured out what my biggest fears were she used those fears against me to convince me that abortion was my best option. It took her an hour and a half on the telephone to do her job – sell abortion to a troubled teen. Oh, how I wish there would have been a Hope Pregnancy Care Center in those days.

I spent 12 years trapped in a sea of regret, anger, guilt and despair before I finally realized that I was not going to deal with the worst decision I’ve ever made in my life on my own. During that time I got pregnant a second time and again found myself on the abortionist’s table. I became self destructive and felt like God could never love a person who would kill His creation.

After I accepted Christ as my personal savior I hid that part of me deep inside. I wouldn’t let God touch it. It was where I could go to torture myself when I felt unworthy. I allowed the enemy to drag me there from time to time just to remind me that I would never be good enough to be a child of God.

I buried it so deep that I even forgot some of the details of my abortion experiences. I forgot that, during my second abortion, I tried to get up and leave the table. I tried to tell them that I changed my mind. They put me under and performed the abortion anyway. I went to sleep crying, “NO!” I woke up crying, “NO!” But it was too late.

It wasn’t until I received a copy of “Women in Ramah” that I started to allow myself to receive God’s total forgiveness. I had read a small booklet “My Heart, Christ’s Home” that explained how Jesus wanted all of my heart, even the darkest deepest closet. While working through the “Women in Ramah” Bible study I was able to deal with my sin, guilt, and anger towards the abortion industry. I was forgiven and set free. I started to see myself as God sees me. I let him take away all the garbage that I had held on to for so many years.

I encourage any woman who has experienced abortion to join a post-abortion counseling and education (PACE) program as soon as possible. Don’t let feelings of unworthiness keep you from experiencing total forgiveness and freedom from the bondage of sin.

   - A Hope Supporter

Dear Mother Pearl:
On this Mother's Day of 2006, I thought it was about time that I put some thoughts down on paper. I want to thank you for the most precious gift you could ever give a child - life. I know that it wasn't easy for you to go this road alone without much support from family at such a young age that you were. However, if you had chosen to abort the pregnancy, I wouldn't be here. I wouldn't be able to say thank you, I woudn't be able to have met you and known you, and you wouldn't have been able to know who I was or meet me either. In turn, there would be no Luke, no Tianna and no Jayda and the future generations that will come in time. What a precious gift you have given and what a wonderful sacrifice you made those many years ago. I just want to say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

Love, Your Daughter Lin