Sidewalk Advocates for Life
A very wise pro-life leader once told me that if you don't have "ending abortion" in your mission statement and you aren't working to put yourself out of a job ...you're doing something wrong!
If we truly believe that "with God all things are possible," we must believe that His grace is enough to end abortion.
And mysteriously, he chooses to use you and I -- even though we are imperfect instruments. We are told that we are "God's co-workers," meant to bring the "Gospel of Life" to those-in-need.
We don't take this call lightly. After all, in the aftermath of Roe v. Wade which imposed abortion-on-demand on all 50 American states in 1973, our hearts are heavy thinking of the 58 million children who have lost their lives to so-called "safe and legal choice." That also doesn't include the millions who have been wounded by the lie that abortion would solve their problems.
However, we are not a people without hope at all! As one Christian leader has said, "Do not give yourselves over to despair, we are an Easter people and alleluia is our song!" Through Christ's passion, death and resurrection, God has given us everything we need to overcome the problem of abortion -- we just have to say YES to it!
Former abortion providers have let us know that peaceful, prayerful sidewalk counseling was the activity that most devastated their business. We know that, quite often, all an abortion-vulnerable woman needs to hear is, "You have other choices. You don't have to do this today." With a community of love on the sidewalk, kindly and constructively sending women to pregnancy resource centers and to other life-affirming community resources, we have the ability to eliminate demand and slowly chisel away at the abortion business. It is our goal to ensure that no abortion facility in the U.S. (and someday, beyond) goes without peaceful, loving sidewalk helpers every single hour of business!
Knowing this, we started Sidewalk Advocates for Life as an amazing solution, by God's grace, to the problem of abortion. In just 18 months, our organization has grown to 72 locations in the U.S. and around the world and witnessed 837 babies saved, 232 hopefuls, 53 turnaways and 23 abortion workers who left ...and counting! (For an explanation of how we record statistics, please use this link. God is moving in mighty ways as we say YES to Him!
In order to reach our goal as soon as possible and multiply our effectiveness, we knew we needed to grow our staff. One of the ways that we did this was through our new "Program Coordinator Fellowship" program, raising up a handful of true pro-life missionaries who would develop new Sidewalk Advocacy locations and support current ones, regionally. The Lord answered our prayers when he brought us three incredible women: Bethany, Cera and Heather!
Here's what each wanted to share with you, our dear partners in this great work...
"Hi, my name is Bethany, and I am the new Eastern Program Coordinator for Sidewalk Advocates for Life. My husband and I have two fabulous, active boys and one precious child we hold in our hearts who's in Heaven. We are both natives of Florida; I graduated from the University of South Florida with a B.A. in Religious Studies. I recently sold our family business to answer God's call to do pro-life missionary work! Last fall, while reading Former Planned Parenthood Director Abby Johnson's book, Unplanned, (regarding her conversion from the abortion industry), I, too, was undergoing my own epiphany. God was speaking to me through this book, calling me to get back involved with pro-life work! In my humble opinion, this is the greatest battle, and I am honored and humbled to be serving in this capacity; together, we can convert hearts and save lives!" -- Bethany Mistretta, Eastern Program Coordinator (bethany@sidewalkadvocates.org)
"Hi, my name is Cera, and I am the new Midwestern Program Coordinator for Sidewalk Advocates for Life. My family lives in Massachusetts, but I am getting married and moving to Michigan soon! I recently graduated from Purdue University with a double major in Management and Marketing. Through college I was blessed to be involved with Purdue Students for Life, a local chapter of the national organization. When I first started feeling called to full-time pro-life work, I spoke with a man who worked in the pro-life movement full-time, and he said something which has stuck with me ever since: 'How can we ever hope to defeat abortion when there are so many people working full-time in the pro-choice movement if we don't have people working full-time in the pro-life movement?"' One of my favorite quotes is, 'We are called to be faithful, leave the results up to God.' Another is from Proverbs, 'Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.' You are all an example of this verse, and I am honored to come alongside you in this mission!" -- Cera McCarragher, Midwestern Program Coordinator (cera@sidewalkadvocates.org)
"Hi, I'm Heather, and I am the new Western Program Coordinator for Sidewalk Advocates for Life. I live in Northern California, where I have been involved in the pro-life movement since the age of 11. I am very passionate about pro-life advocacy, and I consider saving lives from abortion to be my life’s mission. I have a background in pro-life work spanning many years and different aspects of the movement. I hold a Life-Affirming Specialist Certification with Heartbeat International, spent time as a support-raiser for California Pro-Life Council (the state affiliate of National Right to Life), ran a Maternity Home for pregnant mothers-in-need, and served as Director of Client Services for TLC Options for Women of Chisago County in Minnesota. For two years, I lived and worked in New York City where I counseled abortion-bound women in front of abortion facilities and in pregnancy centers. We, on the national team, are so impressed with all of the hard work of our local leaders and advocates. Thank you all for braving the elements and long hours to bring hope and life to families-in-need. You are truly my heroes." -- Heather Keevers, Western Program Coordinator (heather@sidewalkadvocates.org)Read more about Heather, Cera & Bethany using this link.
Please pray for these courageous young women as they train, equip and support all of our new and current Sidewalk Advocacy locations!
If you are in one of these regions and would like to bring Sidewalk Advocates for Life to your town or city, please feel free to reach out, and they will get you started!
Thank you, friends, for joining us in this incredibly important mission to transform hearts, save lives and end abortion!
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