Forgiven and Set Free
Women Find Healing through Post-Abortion Support Groups
As part of our evangelistic outreach to women in Russia, East-West Ministries supports four Pregnancy Resource Centers (PRCs). This ministry is desperately needed because more than 64% of all pregnancies in Russia end in abortion. In addition, many women experience serious complications or infertility as a result of having had multiple abortions.
Christian ministry workers at the PRCs have launched post-abortion syndrome (PAS) support groups to provide Bible teaching and encouragement to women who have had abortions and/or miscarriages. The study materials contain chapters dealing with topics such as managing anger, finding forgiveness, experiencing God's grace, learning how to "let the baby go" emotionally, and more.
Below, several women share how the PAS groups have helped them to deal with the pain of abortion and miscarriage. They also explain how these Christ-centered support groups have empowered them to find forgiveness and healing through God's love.
Katerina* says, "The most difficult part of the healing process was to forgive myself for the sin of killing my own child because I made the decision to do that. Thank God that I could fully forgive myself. I am forgiven and set free! ... Now I understand that time does not heal; only God can heal." -Katerina,* a member of a post-abortion syndrome (PAS) support group
Natalia* says, "I would like to thank the Lord and Natasha and Luda for time that we spent together, for their work of love. The Lord showed me that He and His work are above my understanding and imagination. God's Word became alive at every meeting. His Word was working within me, and a desire to love God back and serve Him arose in my heart. I am thankful to the Lord, and I want to encourage other women to take the course in order to be free to serve Jesus Christ. Praise and glory be to God. Amen!"
Victoria* says, "In 1990 and 1991, I had two miscarriages. In Russian, the word for miscarriage sounds very rough-"thrown out"-but unfortunately, there is no other word for it. I did not make the decision to lose those babies, but it was a hard blow to me. I could not understand why this had happened to me. I thought maybe I was guilty of something, or maybe I did not do something important in order to keep the babies. I felt absolutely empty and lonely. I had depression, severe headaches, fatigue, and insomnia... Throughout all these years, there was no one I could share my feelings with until 2008, when I was able to take the PAS course and find healing. It was like a hand stretched out to help me. God revealed His love to me; the deep wounds in my heart disappeared somehow. The Lord Himself healed me. Now I have peace, rest and my heart is light."
*Names have been changed to protect identities.
East-West Ministries exists to glorify God by evangelizing and equipping nationals to establish grace-oriented churches. The ministry is focused in areas of the world where less than 2% of the population know Jesus. Visit us at www.eastwest.org