July Newsletter: Tears of doubt, fear, & despair turned into tears of joy!

Q & A Time at Legacy

Another Child is Born!

God continues to heap blessing upon blessing on our efforts here in New Mexico. Each month comes with trials, yes, but the blessings and favor of God outweigh them by far. On June 3rd Maribella was born. We met her mom Jen* several months ago by divine providence. You may remember the miraculous story of how another one of our moms (Tina*) brought Jen in to PDL. Tina and her son Candido were featured in our newsletter a couple of months back.

Jen* had an appointment at the Planned Parenthood (PP) next to PDL on the day we met her. Her baby was about 6 weeks old. She pulled her car into our parking lot and there she met Tina and asked where PP was. Tina asked her what she needed and asked her to come in and talk to myself and another volunteer. Jen felt the same way a lot of the moms we work with feel. She didn’t think the timing was right and her boyfriend didn’t want another child and was pushing hard for the abortion. Jen knew though, that she wanted her baby, she just didn’t know how it would all work out. What she needed at the end of the day was encouragement and to hear that she could have her baby and everything would work itself out.

Thankfully, about 4 weeks after we met her she came back to PDL for an ultrasound! I was so excited to see her again, because you often aren’t sure if the mom will come back. At the very first glimpse of her baby all she could say was, “that’s my child”. It was a beautiful day. Since that time Jen moved back to CO to be with her mom and pursue a college degree. Needless to say, Maribella is the love of her life. Glory be to God!

Speaking the Truth, in and out of Season

Tara & I had a presentation at Legacy Church (one of the larger churches in ABQ). We shared a biblical context for the need of the Christian community to reach out to abortion minded couples; to restore justice and minister to the oppressed from John 15:1-8 & Isa.5: 1-7.We also shared about late-term abortion clinic in ABQ and ways to get involved. Many in the audience were surprised by what they heard but also eager to help. We ended the presentation with a Questions & Answers session. It was a blessing to inform even more Christians about the reality of injustice not in some foreign, distant land, but in our own community.

A second presentation we did was on an Indian reservation about 45 minutes from ABQ. Our presence was in collaboration with our friends Manny and Grace. They organized a weekend outreach that included other speakers, free lunches, ac-tivities for kids, and gospel presentations. For a first time event, it went great. Their vision was that if even one person receives Christ and their life is changed as a result of the weekend, it is worth it. We couldn’t agree more! We as Christians should always have that  mentality as we live our lives for Christ.

Tears of doubt, fear, and despair turned into tears of joy! 

There were 4 turn-arounds and two babies saved this month at the late-term clinic. We consider turn-arounds to be when women leave the clinic after speaking with us. Saves are when a woman actually tells us that she is choosing life instead of abortion. One couple had come from Arizona. They went inside the clinic but came right back out and left. As they were leaving they took information from us. The woman burst into tears, and ex-pressed her thanks for our presence and help.

A family pulled up in a large vehicle but didn’t get out. In order to enter the late-term abortion clinic everyone has to pass by several strategically placed signs showing the graphic truth about abortion, pictures of live babies (both inside and outside of the womb), several life affirming word signs, and people in prayer (the most important witness and spiritual component) . No doubt this family was taking in all of this. After 20 minutes they decided to leave. I waved them over and held up some literature. They pulled up and I was able to speak with them and direct them to Project Defending Life. They wouldn't tell me why they were there, but they were appreciative for the help.

Another woman chose life for her baby simply because of our presence at the late term clinic here. She walked into the clinic after seeing our signs and after hearing our words of compassion. She came right back out of the clinic in tears, the holy spirit had convicted her. She shared with us, "Going into that clinic was against my very nature because I am a Christian. However, my family and boyfriend were pressuring me to have the abortion.” Knowing that our presence was used by the holy spirit to convict her solidifies what we already know about being present at these clinics. It saves lives! Praise God, his spirit is moving powerfully here in ABQ!

On another day a taxi drove up and dropped off a young girl. I waved to her and asked her to come and speak with me. She came over and I politely asked her why she was there. She told me she had come from Alamogordo, NM (200 miles) for information from the clinic. I give her life affirming information that we had and told her all the ways we could help her at Project Defending Life. She said she was 18, a Christian, and the mother of 2 children. I told her that if she was currently pregnant that she was actually the mother of 3 children. She started to cry and told me she felt alone, and didn't know what to do. She was going through a lot back home. I prayed with her, and pleaded with her to let us help her. I told her all the risks of abortion and as much information as I could. She said that she needed to get inside. I told her that we would be there for 45 more minutes if she changed her mind.

She went inside and we continued to pray for her. As I was packing up all my signs, she called out and came over to talk with me just as I was about to leave. She confided with me that she was in fact there for an abortion, but that she had changed her mind. She wanted to give me a hug. She was so thankful for the life affirming support and she started to cry again, but this time it was tears of joy. To God be the glory, it is his spirit that convicts of sin righteousness and judgment (John 16:8).

Reflecting on Our First Year in ABQ 

God has done some amazing things in our lives and in this city since we moved here last June. We have been so blessed to have Tara’s nephew Charlie come live with us. We’ve also been blessed with some really great friends. Next month’s newsletter will be more about our big accomplishment of the year but for now we want to consider that Albuquerque, NM is truly the Late-Term abortion capital of at least the U.S.A, and quite possibly North America. This month a family came from Mexico. Through the course of the year we have seen cars from Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Utah, California, Kansas, Idaho, Iowa, Ohio, Missouri, Montana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, New York, and I have spoke with women who came from Hawaii and Canada. Please keep our work in prayer and may God use us to help women choose life that come here from all over North America.

June Newsletter: The Mom’s We Serve...Our Heroes

In May we were blessed to see 2 more babies born. You may remember the testimony from several months ago regarding a baby that was saved via text messaging. Tara received a call from a woman whose grand-son’s girlfriend was going to Planned Parenthood for an abortion. We will call her Jane and she was literally on her way to the clinic, and all that Tara was given was the Jane’s stepmothers cell number. Needless to say we were on high alert trying to contact Jane with many obstacles in the way. Eventually Tara was given the Jane’s cell number and began texting her.



Thankfully, Tara earned Jane’s trust after only a few texts and realized that she wanted to help. Tara was able to text her a picture of a 6 week old preborn baby and encourage Jane to ask to see her ultrasound. Ultimately it became clear that Jane’s parents were coercing her into having the abortion. Jane asked about adoption and wanted to leave the clinic but felt trapped. Heroically Jane left the clinic and chose life for her baby. One week after baby Manuel’s birth she graduated from high school. Manuel is the love of her life and we are so happy for her. What Jane needed was love and support from her family but when families won’t provide these things we will. Jane is a true hero and proof that young girls can choose life while continuing their own.

Baby Lillianna was actually born premature on April 3rd. She stayed in the hospital for several weeks before we got to meet her. Her mom Allison* came to us homeless and addicted to heroin. During the first part of Allison’s pregnancy we helped her with housing, food and transportation. One day we didn’t hear from her anymore. We didn’t know what happened to her or where she went she just stopped contacting us. We entrusted her and the baby to God hopeful we would one day meet again. God did take care of her and brought her back to us shortly before Lillianna was released from the hospital. She is clean and sober now, trying to do what is best for her daughter. Praises belong to God as we witness another woman facing adversity choose life.

Church Outside the Box

One thing that has amazed me doing outreach at abortion clinics, is the people you meet that are just passing by. Like any other ministry, when you take a step of faith and place yourself where God's Spirit is moving, God will place you in the path of people desperately seeking Him and in need. Ministry outside an abortion clinic is so much more than dealing with abortion minded couples, it is about ministering to anyone in need. I have learned to take the church to the sidewalk and worship with our lives as living sacrifices, not just one day a week in a building, but everyday with the people that cross our paths. 

This month, having a presence at the clinics provided opportunities to pray, serve, encourage, restore, and weep with people having nothing to do with abortion. God just knew our schedules, our hearts, and provided divine appointments on a sidewalk and the church without walls was lived out. One of the people I met was a girl who was struggling with addiction. She had been clean for the longest time in her life, but she wasn't sure she could maintain her sobriety. She stated that she was a "back-slidden" Christian, and that she just didn't feel comfortable in the "church scene." One of our volunteers asked her if we could pray for her and if she was willing to be restored to Christ. The young woman said yes with all of her heart. We prayed and she stated that she knew God had placed us in her path and that she now had the strength from God to persevere. I encouraged her with 1 John 1:7 "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." I told her our Christian walk will not be a sinless one, but each time we fall and get back up it means we are still on the path. We just need to trust that Jesus' blood is sufficient. 

Another person I met on the sidewalk was a man who struggled with addiction as well. He had neurological issues and had been told he would never walk again. He walked with a limp, but he was walking. He said each day was a blessing and he was opening up to the possibility of the existence of God. I encouraged him and told him how much God loves him and that his life has tremendous purpose. I told him that God was waiting for him with open arms and encouraged him to seek God with all his heart in order to find Him. He came back to see me a week later and told me that he went to church for the first time that Sunday and felt right at home for the first time in his life. 

Yet another person we met, was actually drawn to us while I was praying with a volunteer for the end of abortion in our community, New Mexico, the country and the world. He asked if he could use a cell phone to call his mom. He had just gotten off the bus from jail and needed his mom to pick him up. The woman I was praying with offered to drive him to his mothers house. He gratefully accepted. The next time we spoke, the woman shared that she prayed with the young man and invited him to church. That Sunday he partook of communion for the second time, his first time was in jail. She also bought him new clothes and he was very grateful.

The last story I want to share from this month involved a couple I spoke with as they were entering the late-term abortion clinic. The young girl turned and looked at me but continued inside. The young man (holding his three year old son) came over to talk with me. As soon as he walked over, I immediately recognized him from a few months back. At that time he told me he wasn't there for himself, but that he had come with his sister. He assured me at that time that he and his girlfriend had a son, they were Christians and that they wouldn't consider abortion for themselves but his sister insisted on an abortion. 

What a difference a few months makes. This time he told me they were too young to have another child and didn't have enough money to raise another child. We spoke for several minutes and I shared all the resources available to them. I also spoke with him about his Christian faith. I encouraged him as a father and told him to be strong for his family. He took our information and we prayed with him. After only 10 minutes in the clinic his girlfriend came back out and they left. I pray that God waters the seeds He used me to plant and that they make the right choice. 

It doesn't matter if you live in Albuquerque, New Mexico...Church you can join us this week, all week, for service and worship on the sidewalk outside of the abortion clinic in your community. Expect to meet Jesus there and expect some divine appointments. 

...and those were only a few of the stories from church service this month! We’re excited to hear about your stories.