Take a Look at Our Local First Way Center!

Take a look at our local First Way Center! 

We're located at 1667 High St, near downtown and the University of Oregon. 

Walk-Ins Are Welcome!

 First Way is a comfortable place for a woman to go when she needs someone to talk to.

We offer free pregnancy tests and free ultrasound. 


Come in and see us!

Call  541.687.8651.

The Pro-Life Position is Not About Politics or Religion

Let's bash some stereotypes!

Stereotypes tend to stop people from thinking for themselves. When a pro-life person is portrayed in a certain stereotyped way (such as only right wing, conservative Christian) people loyal to other religions and political parties often think to themselves, "I don't want to be like THOSE people!" From that point forward, most people don't consider the idea of really looking into the issue for themselves. Some make their entire decision about whether to be pro-life or pro-choice based on how they perceive their identity in relation to a religion or political party. This is very sad.

The best case for diversity in the pro-life movement can be seen by examining the millennial generation. They are the most ethnically diverse generation we have ever seen in America. Most millenials are not religious, and 1/4 are not affiliated with any religion;" 45% identify with "independent" instead of as democrats or republicans and yet the a majority of millennials believe abortion is morally wrong and 65 percent of Millenials feel that "pro-life" describes them somewhat or very well.

http://publicreligion.org/research/2012/04/millennial-values-survey-2012/
http://sojo.net/blogs/2011/06/21/are-millennials-conflicted-about-morality

So, in the interests of presenting a more realistic image of the pro-life movement,  I've put together an on-line "resource list" for and about pro-life in all faiths. This list can be helpful to share with friends of all faiths or friends without faith. 

Consider "friending" the FB pages (just click the FB links below and click "like.")

These are awesome pages to refer people to when they seem to have bought in to the pro-choice stereotype that all pro-lifers are Christian or all pro-lifers are "right wing." The pro-life position has nothing to do with politics or religion.

All Faiths United for Life
FB-https://www.facebook.com/pages/All-Faiths-United-for-Life

Secular Pro-Life
Thriving on-line community that produces videos with some very good non-religious arguments against abortion.
FB- https://www.facebook.com/secularprolife
http://secularprolife.org/
http://blog.secularprolife.org/

Pro-Life Pagans
FB- https://www.facebook.com/ProLifePagans
http://www.prolifepagans.org/

Muslims for Life
FB- https://www.facebook.com/ProLifeMuslims
http://www.spuc.org.uk/about/muslim-division/why
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSX_zv7uKmM

Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs Against Abortion
FB- https://www.facebook.com/ProLifeHindus
http://www.fnsa.org/fall98/murti.html
http://www.angelfire.com/mo/baha/buddhism.html

Jews for Life
FB-https://www.facebook.com/JewsForLife
http://jewishprolifefoundation.org/Jewish_Pro-Life_Foundation/Welcome.html

Political-
ONE THIRD of the Democratic Party is Pro-life.
 http://www.democratsforlife.org/

Libertarians for Life-
http://www.l4l.org/

Announcements

Hi Everyone!

As some of you may have read in the last church bulletins, First Way is looking for any women interested in submitting an inspirational story to our new blog, "Talk to a Friend." These stories can be anonymous. It's not necessary to include a name unless you want. E-mail laura@carmelheart.com.

I've been discovering some really great resources on-line. There are many young ladies dedicated to helping other young women who have unplanned pregnancy learn to cope well with it and be successful.



Notable in my search today is:

Ashlee Bush- author and consultant
http://www.ashleebush.com/about/
(She has a great resource list on her website, too.)

Also, do not forget about the book-signing 

for Terry Ianora, our 1st Way Director!  

We are praying for a large turnout, so bring your friends!

All proceeds from each book sale go to 1st Way. Everything- aside from manufacturing cost of the book.- ALL for 1st Way.

Join us at The Mustard Seed, 227 W 10th Ave, Eugene, OR 97401,  (541) 683-0733

(Ever curious about how the pro-life movement got started and the awesome women who got together to make that happen? This book tells the exciting story.)

Saturday, March 16, 2013 1:00-3:00

Come out, lend support, have fun!

Until we really honor women, there will be no Happy Women's Day.

On this day, we celebrate women and all they give to our families, communities and the wider society. It is time to end violence against pregnant women. 

We live in a culture that tells women

• Be liberated! No double standard! Sex is for fun, just wait two weeks into a dating relationship.
• Use birth control. Eat organic food to keep your body pure and natural, but then  fill your body with potentially harmful chemicals and hormones.
• If you make a mistake and forget the pill or condom, it's okay. There's no baby inside your womb yet. It's just tissue or a cluster of cells at this point. Just get it taken out.
• If you don't abort, your future will be ruined. No more opportunity. You will sit at home eating greasy chips and watching soap operas, bemoaning the failure of your life as you live on welfare.
• There goes your career! There goes your chance of a higher education! No man will want to marry you now. You're just done.

 So, into the Planed Parenthood clinic you walk.

 "Wow, we understand," they say. "You're a liberated woman. We will help you."

"I don't feel so liberated right now. I just feel miserable," you answer, and isn't there a baby in there, somehow? What happens in an abortion?"

"Don't worry. The doctor will just 'gently remove the contents of your uterus.' " (from actual Planned Parenthood literature and their website)

"But, it's still human, right? That's kind of like a sacred thing, right?"

"Oh, don't listen to that stuff from people out to take away your right to do what you want with your body," they say.

Most common line heard on the way to the abortion room-

"Will my baby feel pain?"

To which is answered, "There is no baby, just cells."

Still, you wonder, trying to comfort yourself with the thought of cells being removed. Surely, that's all it is. And then, it is over. Time to get out there and be that strong woman, let them hear you roar. You are liberated!

Wouldn't you REALLY rather hear this?

Woman, you are precious to society. You are worth being cherished, nurtured and loved by one man who is committed to you for life. You will have great sex when you want to and when you don't want to have children, you are strong enough to abstain from sex. You're not powerless.  You're worth deep, enduring love. Children will enrich your life, not take from it. You're smart and skilled and able to provide for your family. You can work if you want and receive an education and still be a great mom. I love you and I want this for you. You are amazing. You give life.

Why does no one hear this anymore? We are a jaded, sad society, lying to ourselves about our freedoms. 

Until we really honor women, there will be no Happy Women's Day.

The Psychology of Abortion Vulnerable Women

We've been getting excited about the new, "Talk to a Friend Outreach." In preparation, I have been studying an article about research regarding the psychology of abortion-minded and abortion vulnerable women. It turns out that these mindsets are very much tied in to self image.

Shame about pregnancy is a strong motivator for abortion, regardless of whether a woman has religious beliefs. Although she is ashamed that her friends will judge her for what they see may be putting her career in jeopardy, almost no women have shame about having a child "out-of-wedlock anymore. Because women may be afraid of being judged by religious people, they may avoid talking to them, however. 

First Way's success is due in part to our non-religious approach to women. We do not bring religion up. We do not mention it at all, unless she does. We give her "just the facts." Since Planned Parenthood does not give her the facts, the facts alone can be persuasive. For example, a procedure involving dismembering the baby limb by limb and sucking the parts into a tube is referred to by PP only as, "gently removing the contents of the uterus." 

With organizations such as Feminists for Life, Atheists for Life and Buddhists for Life gaining more prominence, fewer people are seeing the pro-life position as a "religious thing." This helps us help the women we serve. 

Women who have a self-identity as maternal and who see being a woman as connected with motherhood are more likely to be "abortion vulnerable" than "abortion minded." These women are the ones most likely to be propelled into abortion due to a sense of shame. So, these women should be handled with lots of compassion and TLC, while helping her feel good about herself as a woman and about her ability to make choices for the sake of herself and the child.

Many women do not identify with motherhood and they primarily see their pregnancy as a threat to their career success. In these cases, few things are more powerful than showing them examples of women who are successful (or even more successful) following delivery, and who are proud of the achievement of balancing both. Also, the stories of women who "never really thought of themselves as mothers" are bound to have a greater impact.

The new "Talk to a Friend Outreach" is meant to convey these positive, empowering and inspirational messages to women, to reach them in the way psychological research most strongly indicates will lead to success. 

We appreciate your help and support. Please let us know if you or someone you know has an inspirational story to share, or if you would like to work as a peer counselor with us. Thanks!

Research Summary- Vitae Foundation

Newest 2013 Research- Vitae Foundation

Talk to a Friend Blog

Support The New "Talk To A Friend" Outreach!

Imagine being a young woman, about twenty-two years old, struggling on your own, making under $12,000 a year. Your get pregnant and your boyfriend either abandons you or pressures you to get an abortion. 

42% of women fall into this sort of profile. They earn under 100% of the poverty line. They are aged between 20 and 24. And they are overwhelmed. Most were barely making ends meet before they got the news about pregnancy. For a few hundred dollars and in just a couple of hours time, this woman could be free of the "problem" forever (so she feels) and just get on with her life.

What could help a woman in this scenario? I've been researching this demographic of women to find out what they want and need. The result is a new online outreach idea: Talk To A Friend. 

"Talk To A Friend" now has a facebook page and a blog. We've reserved talktoafriend.org and info@talktoafriend.org is a working email address now. Although it will take a while to get all the components running and polished, it is okay to link to the Facebook page and blog now.

Sponsored by 1st Way, "Talk To A Friend" websites  have no direct mention of abortion, 1st way or any other crisis pregnancy center, although some do have a link. These sites are designed to be warm, friendly and comfortable places for women to go to get support. Some of our former clients will be volunteer peer support workers. An extended list of resources will be kept, so that the women can get the help they need to keep their child. Through this resource, women will be referred to 1st Way, but reason for this effort is to make the experience more appealing and welcoming to them.

Please subscribe to http://talktoanewfriend.blogspot.com and "like" http://www.facebook.com/Talktoafriend?ref=hl. Share both links. Pass them on in emails. Please do all you can to help and support "Talk To A Friend."

Thank you!

Planned Parenthood Does Nothing to Prevent Abortions- Get the Facts!

UPDATE: The Register-Guard has updated their article to include a more balanced point of view. The perspective of Linda Teutsch of 40 Days for Life was included. I'm happy to see this, as I (and probably many others) had written to the RG about the problem.

Earlier this week, Dr. Alveda King was in Eugene, Oregon, and I am very sorry to say I missed her. Dr. King held a vigil outside of Planned Parenthood on Monday, and I was surprised to see that our local paper, The Register-Guard, even covered it, since they did not cover any of our many previous rallies, vigils and marches over the past year.

http://www.registerguard.com/web/updates/29399891-55/abortion-king-parenthood-planned-prayer.html.csp

To the article's credit, the author wrote, "Much like her famous uncle before her, Alveda King is on a crusade for civil rights. For her, those rights apply to unborn children as well." 

However, almost half of the article is spent trying to defend Planned Parenthood. How does that have anything whatsoever to do with providing news coverage of the event? She writes, "(Cynthia) Pappas (Planned Parenthood local agency CEO and president) said it’s important to remind people that Planned Parenthood does more than offer abortion services, including providing various contraceptives.

  

 “We do more than any other organization to prevent the need for abortion,” Pappas said.

Let's examine that assertion. 

(1) Birth control has not and does not reduce or prevent the need for abortion. A higher incidence of abortion  accompanies increase in providing birth control. Although this may appear counter-intuitive, it is true. Birth control emboldens more people to have sex in situations that could create unwanted children, and birth control has a fail rate.

Guttmacher Institute- 54% used contraception before unintended pregnancy that resulted in abortion.

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/10/25/planned-parenthood-wants-to-elinminate-prenatal-care/

AND

http://www.abort73.com/abortion_facts/birth_control_and_abortion/

(2) Planned Parenthood does NOT do more than any other organization to prevent the need for abortion. Planned Parenthood is in the abortion business. Only a small percent of money is made from non-abortion services, and many of them are being phased out. 

Planned Parenthood wants to eliminate prenatal care:

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/10/25/planned-parenthood-wants-to-elinminate-prenatal-care/

More to the point, of the pregnant women who come to Planned Parenthood for counseling, almost 98% have abortions. Two percent receive prenatal care.

Source: Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. “Fact Sheet,” October 2011, 2.

(3) Every year Planned Parenthood has been in existence, there is a drop in the number of abortions BUT an increase in the number of abortions done by them.

In the USA, during 2000–2009, the abortion rate decreased by 7%.

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss6108a1.htm?s_cid=ss6108a1_w

However, take a look at Planned Parenthood's own Annual Report for any given year and you can see their rate of abortions consistently goes UP.

For example,  Planned Parenthood performed 333,964 abortion procedures during 2010-11, up from 332,278 abortions in 2009.

http://www.thenewamerican.com/culture/item/14156-annual-report-shows-planned-parenthood-tallied-record-abortion-count-in-2010 

So, are ANY efforts, whether they be through Planned Parenthood, First Way or any other pro-life group paying off? 

Um, yes. They may well be the reason for the drop in abortion. Who else is doing it?  

Obviously not Planned Parenthood.

(3) An organization that really does the most to prevent the need for abortion focuses on economic help and supports for the woman with unplanned pregnancy, since 75% of abortion is driven by the sense of economic necessity. 

Planned Parenthood does nothing to address economic needs, while organizations such as First Way do. 

http://www.abort73.com/abortion/common_objections/ 

(4) Most importantly, if nothing is wrong with abortion and abortion is not morally wrong, why does it matter if any organization prevents the need for abortion? Why does Pappas even need to make the statement she makes? 

I ask, "What is abortion, Pappas, morally defendable or morally reprehensible, so that you might feel the need to prevent the services you offer?" What could be more transparently political than that statement?

Our mayor, Kitty Piercy, was at the ribbon-cutting to "celebrate" the new Planned Parenthood in Springfield. The majority of people in Eugene are pro-choice. Yet, in this town of "tolerance" and "open-mindedness," why does a business need to be defended instead of simply providing news coverage of a prayer vigil?

So, abortion is not a holocaust, you say?

Infancy is a time of innocent trust. The newborn has a lot of development to do and she requires safety and protection to grow up healthy and well.

A newborn infant is not like you and me. They can't sit and debate philosophy or jet ski or write novels. They don't really do much but sleep, poop, cry and eat.

An article posted a few hours ago on Crushable.com is about someone's opinion that, for similar reasons, it is ludicrous to compare abortion to a "holocaust." The reason the author gives is that, "It’s an event in recent history that resulted in the systematic murder of six million people. SIX MILLION LIVING AND BREATHING HUMAN BEINGS.  People who had jobs and lives and families and histories before being enslaved, tortured and murdered. To compare their lives to the lives of developing fetuses disgusts me."

Let's take a look at this. These "people" of the "holocaust" had jobs, lives and families, unlike "developing fetuses." Also, they had jobs and families, unlike infants and children who do not have jobs and have not yet created families. Children are DEVELOPING, just as the "fetus" in the womb is developing. So the reason the author gives why the pre-born aren't people so they cannot be victims of a holocaust isn't sensible at all, since she defines a person with such lazy and careless terms, in a tone (all capitals, emotional language, such as "disgust," "offensive," and "makes me want to foam at the mouth") that is more akin to a person spouting off about their bad hair day than someone writing an intelligent article.

This author even titles her article, "Someone Needs To Explain The Difference Between A Holocaust And An Abortion To The Duggars." For those who don't know, the Duggars are the parents of over twenty children who have recently formed a coalition of pro-life groups who will work together, called, "Life United." The idea for this coalition came to them as they were touring a Holocaust museum and they realized that abortion was a form of holocaust.

So, the author, Jenni Maier, is concerned that the Duggar family has not been educated about what a holocaust is and how it is not the same as abortion. 

Looking up the definition of holocaust in Merriam-Webster online, we see, "a thorough destruction involving extensive loss of life especially through fire." Call a pre-born baby what you will, from a "fetus" to a "sea monkey," you still can't logically say it is not alive or not human. So, the definition of holocaust applies. The Duggars never used the word "holocaust" with a capital "H," which would refer to the most famous holocaust, the Holocaust that occurred in Nazi Germany.

So Jenni, have you been able to stop "foaming at the mouth" long enough to think about things before writing an article on a major internet website?  As I look around the web, I see many examples of this crazy, lazy thinking, which is hungrily embraced by others who want to be lazy in their thinking to justify what they want.

The only reason why it would even occur to me to critique such an inane article is that today's world is so filled with emotion-driven people who lack critical thinking skills. When a person's emotions "resonate" with the emotions of an author, that's all a person needs to make a point these days.

Surely, opinions like this cannot sway an intelligent public from protecting the lives of the unborn.

Jenni Maier's Article

 http://www.crushable.com/2013/01/30/entertainment/the-duggars-abortion/

"Roe" of Roe v Wade AND "Doe" of Doe v Bolton- Both Pro-life Activists Now

Well, the memorial of Roe v Wade has passed and I have taken some time to collect and integrate my thoughts after hearing so many more talks and reading so many more articles than usual.

One of the articles that impacted me most was realizing that both women who fought hard to legalize abortion (Norma McCorvey "Jane Roe" of Roe v Wade and Sandra Cano "Jane Doe" of Doe v Bolton) no longer support abortion and wish these decisions were revoked.

The Doe v Bolton case made abortion legal up to nine months, at the discretion of the states. However, Sandra Cano said she was forced to sign an affidavit agreeing to an abortion she didn't want to have and even tried to flee the state to prevent abortion. The irony of this situation is that one of the most famous "victories" for the pro-choice movement didn't involve a choice at all.

“No one should have a right to kill their children. No mother should ever want to do so,” she said, describing her case as a “covenant with death.” -Sandra Cano (Jane Doe)

Norma McCorvey "Jane Roe" was a pro-choice activist who worked at abortion clinics. Once, she was on her cigarette break and struck up a conversation with an "operation rescue" preacher and in time was converted, baptized and became a pro-life activist.

Over the past forty years, the two women who sparked the landmark pro-abortion legislation have both re-thought it and had a dramatic change of heart.  

It's not impossible to hope that our country won't be too far behind.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/news/two-women-legalized-abortion-in-america-now-both-of-them-want-it-reversed

 http://womenshistory.about.com/od/abortionus/a/norma_mccorvey.htm

Learning More About the Effects of Abortion on Society

Hello Everyone!

Last week's blog was about how men, families and society are affected by abortion. This week, I'd like to share some excellent links, for those who would like to learn more about these issues.

(1) Six Reasons Why Men Can Speak on Abortion

Here's a comprehensive list of the many ways men are hurt by abortion and have a right to have their say:

http://www.lifenews.com/2013/01/16/six-reasons-why-men-can-speak-on-abortion/

(2) Abortion's Forgotten Victim:  The Aborted Baby's Father

A well-written editorial about the harm which falls on fathers when their child is aborted.

http://www.lifenews.com/2013/01/14/abortions-forgotten-victim-the-aborted-babys-father/

(3) Abortion's Terrible Consequence: The Shrinking Adoption Poll

Due to the greater availability of abortion, fewer and fewer infants are given up for adoption, forcing families to seek to adopt their children from overseas.

 http://www.lifenews.com/2013/01/15/abortions-terrible-consequence-the-shrinking-adoption-pool/

This weekend, many pro-life activities are scheduled on the Anniversary of Roe v Wade. Stay posted for updates!

Abortion Hurts Society (even if you don't believe it hurts a woman and a child.)

At today's First Way staff meeting, I gave a brief presentation about the psychological effects abortion can have on men. After all, it's their child, too. And, they are powerless to do anything. Beyond that, communication between the man and woman breaks down, because any opinion the man might have about saving his child may be seen as an affront to her "rights" as a woman.

The primary biological drive in a woman is to nurture children. The primary biological drive in a man is to protect his wife and children. When a woman chooses abortion without the agreement of the baby's father, not only is she going against her biological nature, but she forces a man to go against his biological nature as well. How can any of this be good for the human psyche?

Not all men who have lost a child to abortion will experience recognizable trauma any more than the child's mother did. The key word is "recognizable." Many men and women experience PTSD-like symptoms and cannot trace the symptoms to any traumatic event. People are experiencing this more and more now that abortion is increasingly seen not only as socially acceptable, but as a desirable alternative for a woman who finds herself pregnant. So, many men and women have no idea why they are suffering.

What happens to the relationship when a man and woman disagree about whether to abort? Once communication breaks down, the relationship is rarely salvaged. While this is an expected outcome when the couple disagree, statistically the majority of relationships do not survive post-abortion, even when the couple mutually agree to abort.

Abortion is not natural or healthy for women, men, relationships or families. Abortion may be considered good for careers, for independence and for gathering material financial success for men and women. Meanwhile, 60% of marriages are ending in divorce and 33% of women are having an abortion in at least one point in their lifetime. Since abortion has been legal, primary biological drives of men to protect and women to nurture are repressed. As men and women go against their natures, the concept of "family" has been less and less important, so no wonder we are seeing so few intact families. Abortion is both a causal factor and a symptom of the problem. How could abortion not be damaging psychologically to men, women and children?

Abortion is not a decision made by a woman that only affects herself and her body. Abortion affects the father of the child and society at large. Even for people who don't view human life as sacred or even worthy of respect, the wider ramifications of abortion should be of concern.

What Happens When Government Takes Over Health Care?

What happens when government takes over health care? In some ways, I like the idea of health care being available to all citizens. I think any first world country should have citizens who can have access to health care. However, when the government is footing the bill, the government can call the shots about who lives and who dies. Some have called this, “death panels,” but it is worse than that. Panels don't exist as much as hard and fast rules that doctors must follow.

In England, doctors may only save premature babies that weigh one pound or more. To save smaller babies is considered a drain on state resources, so infants that small are not provided the medical care other premature babies are offered, and almost all of them die. Here's a link to an article in which a tiny baby's life was saved because the medical staff made an accident and allowed scissors to touch the scale adding weight. So, it is okay with the government to call the shots over what is human or not, alive or not, salvageable or not .

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4699834/Saved-by-scissors.html

Also in England, “Geoffrey Clark, who sought a seat on the Kent County Council, set off a firestorm of criticism when he recommended that the National Health Service, the British government-run health care system, mandate that mothers of unborn children diagnosed with disabilities have abortions. He said such abortions would be a big help in reducing the nation’s debt, by supposedly cutting the medical and other costs associated with raising such children.” While Mr. Clark was removed from his affiliation with his political party, what is to stop government from taking actions such as this? After all, they are paying the bill and in the USA, our current administration dismisses all pro-life concerns. What Mr. Clark recommended could happen here, probably more easily than in the UK.

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/12/27/candidate-suspended-who-okd-mandatory-abortion-of-disabled-children/

Now, to be fair, those who live in the UK have half the amount of heart attack and stroke that Americans do, and at half of the cost. So, the United Kingdom is doing something right and I believe we have a lot to learn from them. Health care is a mess in this country, but in our desperation for hope, we cannot end up selling our soul. When a society becomes desensitized to protecting our most vulnerable, we are losing that soul. 

Let's work together in 2013 to stand up for the unborn who cannot speak up for themselves. Humanity depends on it, for without basic respect for life, "humane" has no meaning.

(Granted, corporations and private industry may not be counted on to do a better job either, although more possibility for change exists with them. Ultimately, we need to change our culture's values to assure humane treatment for all.)

There Is NO Social Justice Without Protecting the Unborn

I've often wondered why so many well meaning social activists and even human rights organizations rarely protect the rights of the unborn. In fact, many of these organizations somehow see having access to abortion as helpful to society, since people believe many pregnant women cannot afford to be parents. Rather than working to solve the underlying social issue of poverty, these organizations seem to believe that human rights are best served by ending the human lives of the unborn.

I am struck with the word, "human," because I regularly contemplate how little regard is placed on the value of human life in general. Our unborn have become commodities in fertility clinics, torn in pieces for experiments, and looked at clinically as developing humans, but not humans. Although I won't argue "personhood" here, I will say that it is undeniable that a zygote and baby that is developing in the womb are human. They are not made up of corn cells or mouse cells, but human cells. Does that mean anything to anyone?

Protecting life carries a broad range of responsibilities. Opposing the death penalty is one of them. Refusing euthanasia or anything that smacks of euthanasia is another. Raising the quality of life for those alive is another responsibility. But to me, for anything we say and do to be logical and consistent, we must begin our conversation where life begins, with human DNA.

People who support pro-life get a bad rep for "caring more about the unborn than the born," but that is not intended. It is simply not true that the only solution to poverty and unintended pregnancy is to kill the unborn. One thought (poverty bad) does not lead to another (kill unborn). As a volunteer at 1st Way, I can assure you that we are thinking hard and working hard to help women who are in crisis pregnancy find ways and resources to support that child. We are also available throughout the early years offering diapers in all sizes, baby and toddler clothing and even car seats and high chairs when we get those donations.

It's simply wrong to say that to be pro-life means not to care about social justice. Social justice begins with protecting the basic building blocks of life, human DNA. Ask Dorothy Day. Ask Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Both of them would agree with what I'm saying, unquestionably.

Just Say NO to Political Deception. Stay Up to Date on Pro-Life News!

Hi Everyone! I'll be gone for about a week and unable to post, but I want to be sure to leave you with some great things to read. Here are some pretty good recent news articles:

Even after the election, most Americans are still pro-life:
http://www.lifenews.com/2012/11/27/poll-abortion-didnt-cost-gop-election-more-americans-still-pro-life/

One of the most controversial subjects in the pro-life world ever- Abortion and Breast Cancer. Anti CPC web-sites (and even Wikipedia) slam crisis pregnancy centers for giving out false information about the link between abortion and breast cancer. They have a lot of support behind that claim, since many major medical associations agree that there is no link. I recently debated the Wikipedia editors of the CPC article and it was like being thrown in a shark tank. Each study I cited, they disregarded as biased.. However, more solid research keeps coming out that does show a link.
http://www.lifenews.com/2012/11/26/study-shows-abortion-linked-to-high-breast-cancer-risk/

Wow. This is what some people think the human species is worth- Make our children's DNA marketable, like that of a farm animal.
http://www.lifenews.com/2012/11/22/ivf-doctor-commodifies-children-selling-discount-human-beings/

You may have read about this already, but Planned Parenthood really wants to eliminate what little "prenatal care" they offer. It's pretty obvious those services are only on the menu so that they can say they serve all women's health needs and issues, but prenatal vitamins are not nearly as revenue generating as abortions, are they? It seems they're not worried about letting the facade go, now that they are confident of continued government funding and support.
http://www.lifenews.com/2012/10/25/planned-parenthood-wants-to-elinminate-prenatal-care/

Hope I haven't gotten anyone overly riled or upset. Remember, despair is a sin. We have to keep fighting back against the outrageous assault on the dignity of human life. I'll leave you with a GOOD news story. Abby Johnson's organization has helped 38 former Planned Parenthood workers get other jobs, 8 recently and 5 from the same clinic. Go Abby!
http://www.lifenews.com/author/abby-johnson/

Happy Thanksgiving from 1st Way!

This year, I am grateful for Terry Ianora, our wonderful director, and all my co-workers at First Way I have come to know and love. I am grateful to all our donors and supporters who help keep us going day to day. I am grateful for all I have learned about how to reach out to women in crisis and for the infants who are alive today because our prayers and friendship touched their mother's hearts.

Happy Thanksgiving 
from First Way!

Would you like to help with fundraising?

Let's have fun and raise money for 1st Way!

1st Way will be celebrating 40 years of service to the communities of Eugene and Springfield. 1st Way is a pregnancy center dedicated to protecting and saving the lives of pre-born babies and supporting their moms in crisis.

When a woman comes to 1st Way distressed by an unplanned pregnancy, 1st Way volunteers offer reassuring support and friendship to help her make the most important decision of her life.  After the birth of her child, we provide free help with needs such as diapers, clothing, and equipment.  Most of all, we offer hope so that pregnant woman can choose life for their babies.

After 40 years of serving, we need help to find fresh ideas for raising funds and help to organize these efforts.  Are you experienced in fundraising? Let us know.  Do you like to organize and help with events?  Come talk to us. Do you just like to help out? No experience necessary. With your help we can go on into the future!

Leave a comment here or email firstwayeugene@gmail.com

Trauma CAN'T BE because of abortion, can it?

Last week, I went to a "Silent No More" program at church last week and speakers told their stories of how regret for their abortions has caused significant trauma in their lives. Father Eric Andersen spoke about "forbidden grief." Many women and men are not aware that they have a right to mourn their lost child, because of the anger they feel at themselves for having been the one to take that life. To heal, giving yourself permission to grieve is a critical step in the process of forgiving yourself.

However, "forgiving yourself" is far from the mind of many women who obtain abortions.

When I first heard the words, "forbidden grief," I thought about a different meaning. I thought of how women today are told that in abortion, there is nothing to grieve. After all, if the fetus is not considered a baby, a person, or even human, to remove its existence from the world should be less traumatic than having a kitten run over by a car. If any woman DID express grief, trauma or guilt, most people wouldn't understand.

I've known women who went to licensed counselors to talk about grief and trauma over abortion and the therapist has been quick to credit the reason for the trauma to something else. So, when a woman is in pain and goes for help, she often receives no validation at all for her experience. She thinks it's crazy to even consider how her emotional problems might be related to a past abortion.

When I posted before that a great many women do not regret their abortions, I meant what I wrote. However, therapists may dig for issues like past abuse when, very often, the trauma of an abortion may be causing turmoil and self-destructive behavior.

Isn't it odd to live in a society where few think its even possible that choosing to end a human life might have traumatic consequences? Isn't it disturbing?
 
Forbidden Grief is the title of a book by Theresa Burke, PhD, who is also the founder of Rachel's Vineyard retreats to help those experiencing trauma from abortion.

Dr. Burke also writes about how repressed feelings may be acted out through self-destructive behavior, broken relationships, obsessions, eating disorders, parenting difficulties, and other emotional or behavioral problems.

Recently, it has occurred to me that many women may wonder why they are having problems with eating disorders, suicidal ideation, nightmares, etc. and the last thing they may think to consider the cause may be a past abortion. People will actually get more support in our society today for believing that their trauma was caused by an alien abduction than for their belief that the trauma may have been related to an abortion.

Not only is the grief forbidden, but the guilt is forbidden, the trauma is forbidden. It's almost as if being a natural woman, with protective maternal feelings, is forbidden.

It may be forbidden everywhere else, but give yourself the gift of pastoral counseling or a Rachel's Vineyard retreat if you wonder if having abortion might have something to do with problems you've been having that don't seem to have any other cause.

Your authentic feelings matter there and you have permission to grieve. Hope for healing is available.

Some Claim Abortion Is Not a Choice

Earlier this week, I was reading an article about women's abortion stories on Yahoo News. The gist of the article was that those women were in dire straits. They basically had no choice but to have the abortion, due to financial problems and relationship turmoil. I wondered how this article was pro-choice, since after all, the claim was that they had no choice and should not be “judged.” I'd agree that these women were in tough situations where abortion seemed like the only way out.

In a society that stresses the importance of comfort and convenience for all, choosing to have an unwanted baby seems absurd. After all, pregnancy is nine months of discomfort, followed by hours and hours of labor and (unless the child is given up for adoption,) months of sleepless nights after the birth. Yet, often the right choice is the more difficult choice. Great dedication is required to do the right thing. Our social climate is accepting of the choice of abortion and often encourages it, which makes it even easier to choose to abort. Abortion is a few hundred dollars, over in an hour or two....much easier than a lifetime commitment or even a nine month commitment before adoption. And, to top it all off, most people don't even see any value in going through all that when abortion is available.

When we're encouraging a woman to keep her baby, this is important to keep in mind. Often, we're that soft voice somewhere deep in her mind that she just doesn't want to listen to. If we weren't here to say it, the message of life might never be heard. Working in a crisis pregnancy center is often the only way a woman can gain hope and support in making a true choice, in a situation in which family and friends are pushing abortion as the only way. Choosing life is an option and life for an infant is a life worth saving. With support and help, there is always a way to make things work out. If we're not here to say this, who will? If we're not there to help it all work out, what will she do?

Abortion Is No Trauma for Many

The traumatic impact of abortion- Is there always one? I am sad to say that there is often not. Although this may seem shocking to some, the traumatic impact of abortion is lessening more and more. It's important that we realize this and face this reality. When we tell these young women they may experience trauma later, they really think we're being bizarre.

I'm in my forties. As a teenager and young woman in my twenties, almost all my friends had an abortion at one time or another. I had two good friends who had multiple abortions. One had five and another had six. Neither were even as old as twenty-five years old. The only problem they had with having it done was the cost. The cost was truly all that troubled them. In their minds, having an abortion was like having an appendix removed. Anyone that told them the pre-born baby was a human being had to be deranged, since in their mind, it was something attached to their body that wasn't even developed into a baby.

These girls have also been warned, often by parents and teachers, that conservative “crazies” are going to try to talk them out of having an abortion and that they should stand proudly for their freedom to choose. How do we get through? Jesus said that for some, entering Heaven is as hard as a camel going through the eye of a needle. He said none of us can reach Heaven without His help. The same is true in our mission to help save the lives of the unborn. Without constant prayer, most of us would despair.

As I've said before, a woman's intuitive and natural urge to defend and protect her child is still there. It's just buried under a web of protective lies. The lies prevent the pain of guilt from coming through. I never even met women who were traumatized through realizing they had taken the life of their child until later in life when I heard the experiences of many with intense remorse, PTSD and grief..

For those who realized the gravity of what abortion is, people had taken time to show them basic pictures from biology books or from their own ultrasound of babies as young as seven weeks, or somewhere in their past, they had been exposed to the value of protecting human life as a moral imperative. When a woman actually realizes she has taken the life of her own child, grief can be profound and trauma long-lasting. Realizing she's been lied to that her baby was only a "blob of tissue" will enrage her. One day, if she realizes the truth, yes, she can experience trauma, so we are correct to tell her that it's possible.

We don't need to judge these women. Confronted with the facts and with love, they will accuse themselves. Our job is to provide love and a window to reveal God's mercy and grace. Without trust in this love, who could possibly handle the truth of what they've really done through abortion? Denial is their protection from pain and it is reinforced wherever they go, more and more through our society. Soon, as in the state of Oregon, women in all the USA may not even need to be troubled by the cost. What will happen then?

Twenty years have passed. My old friends still have no regret for their abortions. Girls today, twenty years later, have even fewer qualms about abortion. Let's not be naïve about the women who come to us. They may never feel post-abortion trauma. If they do, we are always here. If they do not, our only recourse is to pray and to respectfully educate her about the human life within her body.

Related Articles:

How women are lied to:

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/05/29/shh-dont-tell-women-considering-abortion-theres-a-baby/

Psychologist and social worker who treat those traumatized by abortion receive awards:

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/08/07/psychologist-social-worker-receive-usccb-pro-life-awards/

PSA Campaign: Women Proud of Abortions

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/09/27/new-ad-campaign-women-proud-to-reveal-they-had-abortions/

1st Way and St. Mary Pro-Life Ministry Announcements

Hello and Good Morning, All!

This morning, I'd like to make a couple of important announcements.

(1) 1st Way is looking for volunteers. Volunteers do all sorts of jobs, from counseling women in crisis to putting layettes together (cute baby clothes!) Usual time commitment is only about three hours a week. The rewards are immeasurable. Be a part of a group of women who deeply care about women, babies and families. All of us have no idea what to say or do at first. So, don't worry! Training is provided. You'll learn SO much you never knew before and gain confidence in helping. Contact 541-687-8651 to schedule an interview with the director.

(2) Mark your calendars for a very special event next Thursday, October 25, 7:30 pm at St. Mary Catholic Church in Eugene, Oregon!

St. Mary’s Gospel of Life/Pro-Life Ministry is presenting a program called, "Silent No More." The special guest speaker will be Fr. Eric Andersen. Also, there will be testimonies from men and women who have been impacted by abortion. There will be a reception in the Parish Center after the meeting and the Hanson Family Singers will perform. All are welcome.