New Effort Gives Hope to Abortion Victims
Michaelene Fredenburg has launched a new outreach effort to combat what she describes as "the biggest and most serious plague in America" – abortion.
"When I was 18, I had an abortion. After years of struggling with self-destructive behaviors my experience brought me to church.... but I often found myself thinking that if people sitting around me knew what I had done, they wouldn't shake my hand — and certainly wouldn't sit next to me," Fredenburg said in a statement.
Fredenburg created "Abortion Changes You(TM)" to offer support for friends, family members, neighbors and loved ones who have experienced abortion and "understand the reproductive loss and grief surrounding an abortion experience."
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It is estimated that one in every three women will have had an abortion by age 45, with millions of men and women suffering untold psychological guilt and remorse.
The most important step to recovery, according to Fredenburg, is to inform and let victims know of the availability of support in their faith communities.
"Many men and women who have experienced abortion have a sense that somehow God and the church are 'off-limits' for them. Some do find their way into church, but silently struggle to move forward in their relationship with God," she noted.
Fredenburg's outreach includes tools and guidebooks which will be available for pastors and church leaders to counsel those suffering from the effects of abortion in their congregations.
Jonathan Imbody of the Christian Medical Association commended the work of "Abortion Changes You," commenting that it would give new hope to the millions of those suffering from the horrors of abortion.
"Somehow in the midst of an often caustic cultural clash, the 'Abortion Changes You' outreach has managed to send a soothing message of hope, restoration and unconditional love," he said. "The caring partners in this outreach focus on meeting the individual needs of the men and women experiencing abortion sequelae."
He continued, "This redemptive work springs from a true understanding of the loss and heartbreak that millions have experienced through abortion. Through resources, dialogue and counseling, many are experiencing, through the healing hands of Abortion Changes You, a sense of grace and release that they never thought possible."
Since the Supreme Court made its ruling in 1973 in Roe v. Wade, legalizing abortion throughout the United States, nearly 50 million babies have been aborted.
