Exciting New Research May Make Embryonic Stem Cells Obsolete!!

Imagine that you have just had a serious heart attack. The muscle has been severely damaged. At present, this is not  a hopeful scenario. However, new research shows promise that scientists may be able to use cells from other parts of your own heart and transform them into new muscle tissue!  According to Dr. John Gearhart of the University of Pennsylvania , “….everyone believes this is really the future of so-called stem cell biology. “

This development has been a several stage process. In 2007, researchers were able to get skin cells to become much like embryonic stem cells. Therefore, they would transform the cells from one state to the other, and then transform the newly developed stem cells into the specialized cell they needed for transplanting.  This new method, called Direct Conversion, skips the stem cell stage altogether. The skin cell would be directly modified, through the use of chemical signals, into any type of specialized cell that might be needed.  Just this month, scientists have been able to successfully turn human skin cells into early stage blood cells.

Of course, there are still those who believe that embryonic research still needs to continue. Dr. Nora Sarvetnick, who heads up the Nebraska Regenerative  Medicine Project at UNMC (which is seeking out research dollars to expand their work with embryonic cells) stated: “It (Direct Conversion) is a promising way to create new tissues for healing or cell replacement, but it is still years from being used to help patients. Adult and embryonic stem cell research remains more promising than direct conversion in helping patients.” I agree with the adult stem cell research, but the facts I have seen show embryonic stem cell research to be years from helping patients, if ever.

Bioethics attorney, Wesley J. Smith, thinks that Direct Conversion has the potential to make embryonic research obsolete.  “When George W. Bush praised scientists as having the talent and ability to discover and harness the healing potential of regenerative medicine ethically, that is, without needing to destroy embryos his enemies scoffed. ‘What a dope,’” he said. “His religion got in the way of the understanding that ESCR was the only hope. That was then!”

The bottom line remains that there is only so much research money available. There are only a limited number of scientists who are willing to pour their life work into regenerative medicine. Perhaps a few years ago it seemed like the only way to go was through embryonic stem cells (which never made it right!) However, things have drastically changed! Not only have adult stem cell research and Direct Conversion  made amazing advances, but they are the only ones that really show the greatest promise of change.

In today’s (Tuesday, November 30) issue of the Omaha World Herald, the following statement is made: “Using embryonic stem cells is proving to be inefficient and more difficult than expected, scientists said. For example, the heart muscle cells developed from them aren’t fully mature…   and there’s no satisfactory way yet to make mature insulin-producing cells of the pancreas which might be used to treat diabetes, said George Dailey of Children’s Hospital Boston and the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.” And, let me remind you: NO ONE HAS YET BEEN SUCCESSFULLY TREATED WITH EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS!

Listen carefully when you hear news reports or see television programs which talk about stem cell research.  If there has been a cure or a successful treatment, it has been because of some development in Adult Stem Cell Research. And yet, they will use the term, “Stem Cell” research. The bias in the media is towards the continued funding of Embryonic Research and they don’t want you to know the truth.  I, however, will keep you posted. This has become a passion of mine, right along with most of the Life issues.

When we were home for Thanksgiving, I watched as my mother slowly made her way down the long hallway at her Retirement Center behind a walker. She has Parkinson’s. Her hands and, now, her legs shake- sometimes uncontrollably. If new treatment is not found, it will continue to get worse. There is not a doubt in my heart that the solution for Parkinson’s will be found in Adult Stem Cell Research or with this new Direct Conversion Method.  For the sake of the unborn and for the sake of investing in what really works, I want all funds pulled from Embryonic Research and poured into the other types. I am going to look for addresses and the right people  to make my voice heard. When I find them, I will share them with you.

Keeping it true!  Barb

Are There Hills Worth Dying On?

It is estimated that on November 1, 2010, the day before the midterm elections,  the United States hit the landmark number of 53 MILLION aborted babies.  We only have 311 million people presently in the United States. So, that means that 1/6 of our population has been destroyed in the womb since 1973. And, the number continues to grow.

Just like our soldiers in World War II, who sacrificed their lives to fight their way to the top of a hill to plant the American flag, those of us who are trying to defend the unborn are in a fierce battle as well.  New fronts are cropping up all the time, such as in fetal stem cell research. Never mind that the use of adult stem cells shows far more promise and is already successfully used in treatment. (Case in point- did you see the most recent “House” ? They convinced a sick man, with very deep faith, to accept fetal stem cells as a treatment or he would die- in other words, getting him to compromise his beliefs. I know it’s only a show- but I also know that many left with the impressions that fetal stem cells are used successfully to treat many things,when they actually have never been used to treat anything at all!!!)

I’ve shared with you about many fronts we are fighting right now. At the Pregnancy Center, we have to put on our spiritual armor (Ephesians 6:10-18) every morning in order to combat the lies that our patients have been taught about themselves as well as about the child in their womb. They are shocked that their baby has a heartbeat at five weeks and that they have arms and legs by seven.  Fortunately, more young people than ever before are taking a pro-life stand. Sadly, we find that sometimes these convictions crumble when they are faced with an unplanned pregnancy of their own. Our society has been convinced that abortion is the “easy” way out, when, actually, it is a decision they most likely struggle with for the rest of their life.

Our President and those he surrounds himself with are striving harder than ever to make abortion readily accessible and cheaper to obtain.  Millions  in tax dollars go to Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider, every year.  Regardless of the propaganda, the Health-Care bill contains measures to cover abortion procedures with tax-payer money.

As I’ve mentioned in the last couple of weeks, the National Abortion Rights Action League (NARAL) is hard at work trying to shut down pregnancy centers like our own. They realize that we are a threat to the abortion industry. In fact, in many cases, we are the last line of defense left in helping women see that they have many life-giving options available to them. They aren’t alone, and they don’t have to take the life of their child! 

Right now, because we live in Nebraska, a pro-life state, our Center should be okay. However, there are many ways that we could be attacked. The government has made rumblings about removing the tax-exempt status from many non-profit agencies. That would greatly impact our finances, as well of those who so faithfully donate to us.

There are many days we feel under spiritual attack. We’ve had a lot of cases of cancer and serious disease among our staff and volunteers. Many have also lost jobs or found themselves in financial duress.  Satan has come to “steal, kill and destroy” and I am convinced that the unborn are his favorite target.

Is my title a little melodramatic? Maybe, but I would like to think I would die defending the right to life for anyone: the unborn, the elderly, the handicapped, the terminally ill! If they are not safe, then no one is.

Actually, my faith and my family are  hills I hope I would die on as well. I have a fascination and overwhelming respect for those who have given their lives for Jesus throughout the centuries. Christians are still giving their lives all over the world rather than recant. Friends in Afghanistan recently wrote to us about an Afghan believer who is  now in prison, being tortured and threatened with death unless he denies his faith.

No one that I know of has had to die yet for their pro-life stance. Many have been persecuted. Students have been expelled, people have lost jobs, and some have even faced jail time (I even spent a night there once after a rally!) However, I do believe it is a hill worth dying on, if necessary. It is certainly worth giving all of our strength to fight for. If there was no one left to raise a voice in protest against the slaughter of the innocent, I shudder to think of the terrible depths to which we will plummet.

Keeping it true!  Barb

Can Thankfulness Improve Your Health? (Biblical Truth Now Backed By Science)

When looking for a topic for today, an article entitled “Research Shows Grateful People Are Healthier” jumped out at me.  In some ways, this is a little off what I normally talk about, but in other ways it is right on target. Plus it is Thanksgiving, so it fits, right?

Of course, the Bible is way ahead of scientific research. It is full of scriptures on the importance of being thankful. Proverbs 17:22 says that ”a cheerful (or thankful) heart is good medicine.” That is so true! Whenever I am exhausted after a long and demanding day, it helps me immensely to thank God that I have such an amazing job and  that I am healthy enough to work.  

According to this article in the Wall Street Journal, there is a new “positive psychology” movement. It focuses on developing the good things and strengths in people rather than trying to change the negative. This includes cultivating an “attitude of gratitude” (kind of catchy in a schmaltzy sort of way.)

In an upcoming report in a publication called (believe it or not) the “Journal of Happiness Studies,” 1,035 high-school students were surveyed. It turned out that those who were the most grateful had more friends and higher GPAs. In turn, those who tended to be materialistic and unhappy with what they possessed had lower grades and less satisfaction with life.

Another study divided 100 undergraduates into three groups. The first was told to write down five things they were grateful for everyday. The second was asked to write down five things they found annoying. The third was just supposed to write down anything that occurred to them. After 10 weeks the first group, the one which had focused on their blessings, had fewer health complaints, exercised more regularly and just felt better all the way around than the other two groups.

So far, nothing in the article really surprised me, although I guess it was good to see the truth validated by research. However, the author went on to point out that “as simple as it sounds, gratitude is actually a demanding, complex emotion that requires self-reflection, the ability to admit that one is dependent upon the help of others, and the humility to realize one’s own limitations.”  He also stated that gratitude forces us to overcome a  strong force in the universe called a “negativity bias”. It is more natural for us to focus on annoyances or the wrong that has been done than to focus on our blessings.

That is so true, isn’t it? I remember when I was an elementary school teacher (many years ago!) My fellow teachers were a pretty negative bunch. They especially liked to complain about the students and their parents.  I found that when I was with them it was almost impossible not to join in. If I said anything positive, they looked at me like I was some kind of self-righteous zealot (or at least that is how I felt.) After awhile, I started eating lunch in my classroom. Otherwise, I would get dragged down into their negativity and that wasn’t healthy for me or my students.

Another line that caught my eye concerned the upcoming holidays: “Giving thanks for them (family) helps you deal with the craziness that is part of every family.” I am very excited that all of my children and my grandson (except for one very pregnant daughter-in-law) are gathering  for Thanksgiving at my parent’s home in Iowa City. They are scattered all over the country and we aren’t  together very often, so I am excited to see them! However, whenever that many people are crowded into a small space for any length of time it can get crazy! I am committing right now to remain grateful for every moment we have together!

When I examine my life, I am ashamed that I ever complain about anything. I have a wonderful husband who loves me very much, as well as four amazing children,  two great daughters-in-law and an adorable grandson with another due on December 21. I have a beautiful home, a dream job and far more worldly possessions than I need.  We always have an abundance of food (I am so grateful that my children have never had to go hungry. That has to be one the worst things a mother would ever have to endure!)  Most of all, my life has been transformed by my loving Savior, Jesus Christ. I gave myself to Him when I was 17 and I strive in all I do to give Him glory. Even if everything I own was stripped  I would still have all I need in Him!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I will not have a new blog until Monday, November 29. Our office will be closed and I need to get ready to celebrate with my family. Blessings to you all! Let’s commit to be thankful for everything: on Thursday and everyday thereafter!

Keeping it true!  Barb

The Plummeting Population- How Will It Affect You?

I don’t know about you, but I come from a pretty large family. My mother comes from a family of eight children and my father from a family of seven. I have lots and lots of cousins, who are now having lots of children themselves.  To see them all together it looks like a lot, but in each generation the family size has grown progressively smaller. For instance, none of my aunts or uncles had any more than four children and my cousins mostly have two or three children apiece.  (I have four, but I always was considered a radical!)

My blog from October 28 dealt with Planned Parenthood’s efforts to get Congress to include free birth control in the healthcare legislation. They billed it as a way to cut down on expenses on a national level when actually the opposite is true. In reality, it is better to have more employees in the workplace. As our society ages we need more young people to begin earning wages and contributing to Social Security, otherwise funds will not be available for those who reach retirement age. Our current annual population growth rate of 0.9% is not high enough.

Last week a report came out that Japan has reached a critical stage in its population growth, or, rather, lack of.  The signs of this could be seen even in the mid-1970′s, but things have grown continually worse. However, their problem is for an entirely different situation than our’s. In Japan, out-of-wedlock births are fairly rare. Their situation has been caused by a lack of marriages. They are facing an epidemic of “parasite singles” who prefer to live at home, saving their money and spending it on travel and luxuries rather than on raising a family.  (So, I guess this is the same self-centeredness, but in a different form.)

Actually, the only countries in the world that are increasing the most in population are Muslim and African nations.  Some Hispanic nations are having plenty of children as well.  In the United States we are continuing to plummet towards the level that many European and Oriental nations are reaching. India would fall into that territory as well. If it was not for a great influx of immigrants (primarily Muslims in Europe) the decrease in population would be reaching troubling levels.

What accounts for this? Well, that is not difficult to see. In many parts of Europe,abortion is used as birth control. In Russia it is not unusual for women to have multiple abortions in her history.  Environmentalists have been sounding the alarm since the ’60′s that the rate of population needed to decrease or the world was doomed.  Well, many nations heeded that advice and now find themselves with an aging population and no younger generation to support them. (That is why France recently was forced to raise the retirement age, sending people rioting in the streets.)

Unless things turn around, our children will not see any of the Social Security benefits that come out of their paycheck every month. The elderly will become an ever-increasing drain upon our society, which I fear will lead to the  passage of euthanasia laws.  If Planned Parenthood has their way and birth control becomes free,  things will only continue to get worse. Plus, I predict that we have not even begun to see the battle for liberalizing abortion laws. Satan is determined to destroy as many people as he can before the end.

We need to be ready to put on our battle gear and fight the good fight! Please do not be lulled to sleep by the fact that there are more pro-lifers in Congress than probably ever before. (Although I am encouraged that Planned Parenthood is nervous.) We have to pray like never before, as well as arming ourselves with the truth!

We desperately need your help as well! We are full to capacity with the women who need our services. Therefore, we need to expand our hours. However, we barely have enough volunteers to man the hours we are presently open.  If you are interested in doing something that is actually making a life and death difference, please call us at 402-390-9700. Ask for me (Barb). We aren’t changing the world, but I believe our impact on Omaha has been significant!  Come and play your part!

Keeping it true!  Barb

Pregnancy Centers in Danger: How We Are Fighting Back!

Okay, do you want to hear a good one? The abortion industry has actually had the audacity to say that Pregnancy Centers need to have more federal regulation so they won’t do any more damage to women. Yes, you heard me correctly: the most unregulated industry in the nation (abortion providers), who make an obscene profit destroying the lives of unborn children, often injuring or even killing women in the process, is accusing pregnancy centers (who present information and medical assistance for free) of “damaging women”?  This would be funny if it didn’t have such tragic implications.

The real battleground right now is New York, home of our parent organization, CompassCare. Jim Harden, the President of CompassCare, gave testimony a hearing of the New York City Council recently and  reported his observations, which were very disturbing. It appears as if NARAL (National Abortion Rights Action League) has declared war on pregnancy centers and New York is ground zero.

The following are their main accusations. They claim that Pregnancy Centers:

1. Are unregulated and non-standardized even within their own industry.

2. Harm women and babies by keeping her from getting pre-natal care as soon as possible.

3. Harm women by forcing her to delay an abortion since abortion complications increase with each week of pregnancy.

4. Harm women financially because abortion becomes more costly the longer she waits.

5. Illegally provide pregnancy diagnosis without a medical license.

(Okay, I need to take a deep breath because this really makes me angry!!! I plan on calmly and rationally refuting each of these points, but I need to rant for a moment. They have the audacity to say that we harm women and children by causing abortion complications and increasing their financial burden? We, who never charge a cent and often provide money for things like rent or keeping the heat on? Who provide cribs and clothes and all the things they need for their baby? The industry that has slaughtered millions of unborn children accuses Pregnancy Centers of harming babies? How dare they!)

Okay, I’m ready to turn the other cheek and provide some rebuttal to the charges that have been laid out, as well as an action plan as to how you can help us survive.  The Bible told us long ago that we would face battles like this, and they would not be against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers from the pit of hell.  When things seem really insane to me (and that happens a lot these days) I remember that Satan has come to “kill, steal and destroy.” And, I truly believe that abortion is one of his pet projects. What can be more diabolical than getting mothers to destroy their own children?

Here are my rebuttals, one by one:

1. Unfortunately, I would have to agree with NARAL here.  The Pregnancy Center movement is unregulated and not very consistent.  CompassCare, our parent organization, designed a fifteen step process which we take every woman through in their appointments with us. Therefore, we know what is said to every woman because they all hear the same things. Everything is documented and scripted. Our medical director, a physician here in Omaha, signs off on everything. Our medical team is made up of licensed medical professionals. In order to survive the pro-abortion onslaught I think that Centers around the country need to take this step as well.

(However, to keep things in prospective, no matter what the Pregnancy Center movement does, people do not die as a result. The same cannot be said for the unregulated abortion industry. I read stories all the time of abortionists practising without a license; of child-protection laws being disregarded; of women being told lies about the human state of their child; of filthy, unsafe facilities and the list goes on and on. )

Numbers 2-4: We do not delay women in receiving pre-natal care or even abortion if that is their decision.   We see them right at the point where they are discovering they are pregnant, usually at  five to six weeks. They come to us for a free pregnancy test and to determine if their pregnancy is even viable (or will continue to term.) Up to 30% of all first trimester pregnancies are lost to miscarriage. If the pregnancy is not going to continue then there is no reason to be forced to make a choice to abort, adopt or parent (although I am certain that the abortion clinic would be more than happy to abort a pregnancy that is not viable. In most states, they don’t even test before they abort.)

Plus, many of the women who come to us are frightened and don’t know what to do. In his testimony before the New York City council, Jim Harden informed them that 84% of women said that they did not receive adequate counseling before getting an abortion and that 64% felt pressured by others into making that decision. They deserve to have a place to come which does not stand to profit financially from any decision that they might make. That is why we exist and why we continue to be desperately needed.

5. We never provide a pregnancy diagnosis. We tell them that their pregnancy test is either negative or positive. When we do an ultrasound, we inform the women that we are either seeing what we would expect to see at that stage or things are not what we would expect. Our doctor looks over and signs off on every ultrasound and all we do is done under his guidance.

So, what can we do to fight back? One of the most important things is to pray. This is the most powerful tool there is against the powers of darkness. Please pray that we will have wisdom to set in place policies that will protect us if we come under scrutiny. Pray for the women who come through our doors that their eyes will be opened to the truth that their baby is precious and worthy of life, as well as for them to realize their need for a Saviour.

Fortunately, we took a major step in protecting ourselves by joining ranks with CompassCare three years ago. They helped us to get things in order and to make certain that we were protected both legally and ethically. In turn, the number of women we see has risen dramatically and an increasing number are choosing to have their babies rather than abort. We are in close contact with other CompassCare Centers around the country, keeping a close eye on the situation in each region and making modifications as necessary. Unfortunately, we represent a very small minority of Centers nationwide.  If they don’t take steps for protection, many may soon find themselves in a very vulnerable position.

I promise to keep you posted. Thank you for reading the blog and for your prayers.  Everyone is needed for this battle to be won!

Keeping it true!  Barb

The Damage Abortion Does to Women: Part III- Letting Women Die To Keep Abortion Legal

Maybe, like me, you read the article earlier this year about a British artist who committed suicide after aborting twins. She killed herself on the day before her 31st birthday. Her note said: “I told everyone I didn’t want to do it, even at the hospital. I was frightened, now it is too late. I died when my babies died. I want to be with my babies: they need me, no one else does.” This poor woman was in such despair after her abortion that she was driven to take her own life. However, is she a remote, isolated case?

In my reading I found several studies that have shown clear links between abortion and suicide. In 1995, a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that women who aborted their child were 70% more likely to harm themselves than the non-aborting group. A Finnish Study, done in 2005, examined the records of 600,000 women, and discovered that women who aborted were six times more likely to commit suicide than women who gave birth, and three times higher than the general suicide rate. Their conclusion was that “childbearing prevents suicide” and that the increased rate of suicide among women who had abortions indicated “the harmful effects of abortion on mental health.”

As if this was not enough, a Welsh study was carried out between 1991 and 1995. They studied hospital admissions for suicides for those who had abortions, miscarriages, and who had giving birth. For the women who had either miscarried or given birth, the risk for suicide dropped. However, they found that women who had aborted were 225% more likely to commit suicide than those who had given life to their children.

Finally, (I hope statistics do not bore you, but I think these facts are vital for us to know) in a study done in the United States in 1997. They found that the suicide rate was 160% higher for those who aborted than those who gave birth. I found these studies in just a few minutes of searching. I am sure many others exist. Unfortunately, most of them occur overseas because the leading research organizations in this country refuse to touch the subject.

But, wait! Didn’t the American Psychological Association tell us that there are no studies that have “substantiated the claim that abortion, compared with its alternatives, causes an increased incidence of mental health problems?” Oh, that’s right, they think the higher suicide rate and depression are all due to the fact that women who abort have more mental problems before getting pregnant. That is why they are more likely to commit suicide after the abortion. It can’t have anything to do with the fact that women feel guilt over the death of their child, because that might mean there is something wrong with abortion.

I wonder what a psychiatrist associated with the APA would have said to the British woman who took her life after aborting her twins. Would he listen to her and try to help her find forgiveness and healing? Or, would he tell her that her babies weren’t really alive yet and that she had nothing to feel bad about? I know the second is true because we have women who come to us after years of fruitless counseling.  I just wonder how many have died because the mainstream psychiatric community have refused to take a hard look at the facts and admit that woman who have abortions suffer real, life-threatening guilt and pain.

To be honest, I would be more afraid for our society than I already am if I hadn’t seen these reports. I don’t want to live in a society where women can casually abort their children and go on with life as usual. It is not a natural act for a mother to cause the destruction of her own baby. It runs against all that is maternal and loving in all of us. And, like every unnatural (and violent) act, it will have serious consequences.

Oftentimes the self-destruction does not take the extreme form of suicide. Women  find other ways to destroy their lives: promiscuity, drug-addiction, alcohol, unhealthy relationships. They push down their guilt, but it is still there, reaping its destruction in ways the woman may not even recognize as being related to their abortion. Or, as I mentioned before, they wake up one day years down the road, as they look at an ultrasound of a wanted child and realize what it was that they did to their first baby so many years before.  There is no “statute of limitation” on guilt from abortion.

When women come to us seeking healing for abortion, we tell them that we are willing to see them, but that the only path we know to healing is through Jesus. If they accept that fact, we begin to work through a Bible study  with them. They must also be willing to be brutally honest and confront their responsibility for the death of their child. If they are willing to repent and accept God’s forgiveness real healing has a chance. We know of many who are now living in victory, even though they will always ache for their missing child.

Keeping it true!  Barb

The Damage Abortion Does to Women, Part II- Irene Vilar: 15 Abortions in 16 Years

Irene Vilar was born and raised in Puerto Rico. Her grand-mother spent twenty-five years in prison as a revolutionary. Her mother killed herself in the midst of depression over a forced hysterectomy. Eight year old Irene tried unsuccessfully to keep her mother from throwing herself from a moving car. At sixteen, she married one of her professors, a fifty year old tyrant who did not want children.

Over the course of the next sixteen years, Irene had one abortion after the other. In the midst of this came several suicide attempts. In her book, “Impossible Motherhood,” she describes her deadly cycle as “procreation as power.” She claims that she had abortions much like an anorexic repels food, to maintain control over the situation in her marriage. However, like a drug addict, she says she became “addicted” to abortion. She writes that her pregnancies became “compulsively self-destructive.” After several abortions she “needed another self-injury to get high.”  She would flirt with the danger by skipping her pills for a day or two, playing a reproductive type of Russian roulette.

According to the Guttmacher Institute (an arm of Planned Parenthood, so I never completely trust their facts!) about half of all pregnancies are unintended. Of those, 40% end in abortion. Nearly half of the women who get abortions will have a repeat one. And, about 10% of those will have 3 or more. We can testify to the fact that having one abortion makes it easier for a woman to have more. At the Center, we consider a past abortion to be a high risk factor, making it much more likely that a woman will have a second.

Now this is where it gets sticky for the American Psychological Association (APA). (Remember them from yesterday’s blog? The ones who definitively stated that abortion had nothing at all to do with a woman’s mental health? ) Well, I guess  women who have repeat abortions (which we just pointed out is half of the total) have, and I quote, “confounding factors which might indicate mental problems.”  APA spokesman, Kim Mills said, “The research is not really great. It’s very hard to tease out.” Hmmm…… Is that perhaps another way of saying that the evidence is clear, but they really don’t want to admit it?

Doctors warn that those who have multiple abortions face a real risk for cervical damage and uterine lesions. And even thought abortion proponents won’t admit it,  so do those who even have one procedure. One point we can agree on: the more abortions a woman has, the greater her chance of damaging her health as well as her ability to carry future children. Rates of infertility and miscarriage increase with each abortion.  It is amazing to me that Mrs. Vilar was able to have two healthy children after fifteen abortions. She is a fortunate woman.

Vilar casts some blame upon our “hypersexualized society” for her choice of abortion. “In school and on TV, every message I get is what I am doing as a mother or wife is wrong. I should be thinking about a profession and not mothering. Everyone is having babies, and yet they don’t want to care for them.” Interesting, and yet, is it true? I agree totally that our society is “hypersexualized.” When I do my research every morning, I find articles about “enhancing your sex life” side by side with warnings about rising rates for STD’s and no one even tries to connect the dots. There is this warped message of “live however you want, but do it carefully!” The kicker is that there is no real protection against sexual diseases or unplanned pregnancies except abstinence (if you don’t believe me, check out the statistics for yourself!)

In the article on Mrs. Vilar on the ABC News website, Dr. Lauren Striecher, an asst. professor at Northwestern University, stated that “her story is a reminder that more needs to be done to educate women about the proper use of birth control and providing better access.” Is she serious? Did she read the rest of the article? Irene Vilar clearly admitted that she was already on the pill but that she deliberately skipped it in the little game she was playing with life. However, this is one more example that pro-abortion advocates don’t have any other answers.  They certainly don’t espouse taking responsibility for one’s actions. (Well,  in a twisted way, they do consider abortion as one way to do that.)

I began the day thinking I was going to do this blog on Abortion and Suicide when I stumbled on this story. I found it fascinating enough to commit the entire blog to it. However, what does this story add to the debate on the damage abortions does to women?

By her own admission, Irene Vilar used abortion as a weapon against her husband and, possibly, the world. She said it was a way of gaining control in a world where she felt that she had very little. I think it is also important to remember that she was only sixteen when it all began.

Now, please hear me, I am not excusing her for what was clearly her choice. If she does not repent at some point in her life, she will be held accountable for the deaths of her children. However, I think another culprit is  at play here as well and that is the fact that abortion is legal and easily accessible.

If abortions were not so easy to obtain, they would not be used as a weapons of control.  From another angle, I see women all the time who are coerced or even forced to have an abortion as others seek to control them.  Parents threaten to kick them out, boyfriends threaten to leave, loved ones threaten to remove their affection and support. It only takes a moment of panic or despair and an unborn child is destroyed,  leaving behind a lifetime of regret. 

Tomorrow I will discuss that link between abortion and suicide. I was surprised at what I read, and I don’t surprise easily anymore. Irene Vilar’s suicide attempts were barely mentioned in the articles I read.  I may get her book from the library so I can find out more. If I do, I will let you know. In the meantime, please pray for her. She needs to find the forgiveness and healing that only Christ can bring.

Keeping it true!  Barb

Confronted by Death and Finding Healing

Joslyn (not her real name) lay on the exam table, preparing to watch her ultrasound on our large screen.  The nurse suspected from her last menstrual period (LMP) that she was about 8 weeks. Her eyes widened and a large smile appeared on her face as she saw the strong heartbeat and the little arms and legs moving around. “The baby’s heart is already beating? I didn’t know that.”  Suddenly her look became one of horror. “You mean all those babies I aborted had beating hearts? I didn’t know they were people yet! I just thought they were a bunch of cells.”

Joslyn is a woman of faith. She attends church regularly and loves God. She is also an intelligent, savvy woman who has aborted several babies and was planning to head to the abortion clinic with this one as well. Like too many women, she  had no idea of the humanity of the child whose life she was about to destroy.

At the Center, we are constantly amazed by the number of women who have no idea of the facts about fetal development: that the heart begins beating in the 5th week; arms and legs are visible by the 8th week; by 12 weeks everything (organs, limbs, heart, brain) are in place and just need to grow. It is a fascinating process, and, yet, it seems to have been underplayed in this age of abortion on demand. Instead, many are told their child is just a blob of tissue, a collection of cells.

This was one of the factors behind the Nebraska Ultrasound Law, which was passed in 2009. Under that law, women must be shown an ultrasound of their unborn child before the procedure can take place.  Being the skeptic I am, I really wonder if it is being done by the abortionists in our state (there are not many of them and they have a track record of bending the law to the fullest extent that they can get away with. Plus, abortion has to be the most unregulated industry in the nation.) The woman can also refuse to see the picture, which I would imagine she is encouraged to do. However, in theory, it is a great law.

In some of the reading I have done, abortionists deny that seeing the ultrasound has any impact upon reducing the number of abortions.  However, that is not what we experience here. In most cases, even the most determined to abort are stunned by the humanity of their child in the ultrasound. Most of them, like Joslyn, are astounded at the advanced development of the baby.  Plus, once they “meet” their child everything changes. A loving relationship often begins at that moment, as well as the powerful bond between mother and child.

Over 80% of those women who come to us (almost all of whom are at least vulnerable to abortion) decide to give their child life. Of those who abort, the great majority do so as the result of pressure from someone in their life: boyfriend, husband, parents. It is rarely their choice.  It is our firm belief that no woman really wants to abort her child. Some outside factor is driving her to it. Our purpose statement is: To erase the need for abortion through effectively serving pregnant and at-risk women by transforming their fear into confidence.

The good news is that Joslyn has determined that she will have her baby!  Unfortunately, she probably has a long road of guilt and remorse ahead of her. It sometimes takes years, but most women who have aborted usually come to a moment where she  fully realizes what she has done and realizes her responsibility in the death of her own child.  We see many whose lives have spun out of control for years as a result of guilt and shame.  At the Center, we have a program in which we walk women through the forgiveness that Christ has to offer for them and we have seen many find healing.

The pro-abortion people can deny post-abortion syndrome all they want, but we have looked into the faces of those who suffer from it over and over again and we know it exists!  And, we also know that only Christ can set women free!  (If you know of someone (even if it is you!) who is struggling from a past abortion and wants help, please call Chris at 402-390-9700.)

Keeping it true!  Barb

Nebraska Updates:UNMC Expanding Stem Cell Research and Carhart’s 3 New Clinics

Wow, it was a busy 24 hour period as far as the life issues in Nebraska are concerned! When I read an article in last night’s Omaha World Herald about UNMC expanding both their embryonic and adult stem cell research programs, I knew it was time for an update on that subject.  Then I came into work and read on-line about Leroy Carhart’s (Nebraska’s infamous late-term abortionist) decision to open three more abortion clinics nationwide. (Humbly called the Carhart Centers for Sexual and Reproductive Health.) Sigh. As much as we would love to get him out of Nebraska whenever possible, we certainly didn’t want to inflict him on the rest of the country.

So, let’s deal with Carhart first. I guess he is upset at the 20-week limitation placed upon him by the state. (I love Nebraska!) To quote Carhart, he is leaving because “we need a place where we can help our patients, without the harassment of the courts.” I’m sure the thousands of dollars he makes with each late-term abortion has nothing to do with it.

I discussed in Monday’s blog why I think that late-term abortions are primarily a way for the medical community to escape law-suits. If the procedures used to perform a late-term abortion were really explained to women, as well as having her see an ultrasound of her child at that stage, no one (at least not a woman who loved her child) would ever consent to one.  If those same things were done to a child who had been born, the doctor would be locked away in prison for the rest of his or her life. They are  so bad, I won’t even describe them, and you would be mad if I showed you the pictures. They are barbaric and you will never convince me that they are a permissible choice, no matter what the circumstances are. Therefore, please pray for  Washington D.C., Indianapolis and Council Bluffs. Carhart is on his way.

Then there is also the announcement by the University of Nebraska Medical Center that it is expanding its stem cell research program. They say it will include research using both embryonic and adult stem cells. Since a federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruled that President Obama’s loosening of regulations concerning embryonic stem cells violated a federal law barring such funding, they are looking for sources from the private sector to provide $5 million dollars. The money will be used to hire four new scientists, as well as the necessary equipment.

With the new Republican majority in the House, there is concern that federal money for embryonic research will continue to be withheld (we can only pray and hope!) However, as UNMC chancellor, Harold Maurer, was quoted as saying: “It worries me, but we’re looking at all types of cells. This is the cutting edge, and UNMC wants to be a part of that.”

I continue to be amazed by the rationale for this type of thinking. As far as I can see (and I admit I am not a scientist) amazing breakthroughs are being made with adult stem cells. Progress has been seen in actual patients in the areas of cerebral palsy, leukemia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease and stroke, among many others. The first time embryonic cells have been used in humans was just recently, and no results have yet been seen. Some very credible scientists argue that they may never be successful because they tend to develop into large and destructive tumors, making them far more unstable than adult cells.

I looked up an article to see what those doing the research were using as an argument to justify the use of embryonic cells. It must have been an older article, because both of their main arguments had already been solved by those working with adult cells. Recent developments have discovered adult cells which are pluripotent or can be used as any type of cell in the body. Also, just like embryonic cells, they can now be grown in a culture, providing an unlimited supply.  In the World Herald article, it was argued that embryonic research has “provided insights into how cells behave and become specific kinds of cells,” and that “our opponents are ignorant of the scientific facts surrounding stem cell research.” Oh yeah? Well then explain it to us. I haven’t seen one thing that embryonic cells might do that adult cells aren’t already doing faster and better.

Oh, that’s right- we want to be on the “cutting edge.” Does anyone else get the impression that here in little old Nebraska they just want to be the first to get the glory, no matter the cost? If they really cared about curing diseases, why wouldn’t they be pouring their money into treatments that are already miles ahead in finding success? And, if it can be done better and sooner, with no loss of life, why do they insist on continuing to take so many innocent lives?

Keeping it true!  Barb

“No Wedding, No Womb”: African-American Women Take a Stand!

“I’m only twenty and I already have two little ones at home. I don’t know how I’m going to do it with one more. I’m ashamed to tell my family. They keep telling me I need to get my life together. So, how am I going to tell them I’m going to have another baby?”

“I want this baby, but the baby’s daddy wants me to get an abortion. He has a three-month-old with his other girlfriend, and he is having big problems with her. He told me he can’t handle any more babies right now. Without his help, I don’t think I can do this.”

These are the stories of two women who came to the Center in the last few months, pregnant and totally unsure of what they could or should do.  Statistics show that 40% of all pregnancies occur to single women. In the African-American community, that rises to 72%! At the Center, we see an even split of 40% white and 40% black, with about 10% Hispanic and other races. Well over 98% of those who come to us are single.  Most of them also live below the poverty level. (Of course, since we are a free clinic, this makes sense!)

I was very excited to stumble on a new website this morning called “No Wedding No Womb.”  This is an online movement of writers and activists, primarily black women, who are taking a stand for marriage before having children.  This is the brainchild of Cristelyn Karazin, who had her first child as a single mother, but married before having three more. She calls it a “very simplified reduction of a very complicated issue.”

The article that I read (located on AOL News) featured an African-American doctor named Natalie Carroll, who carries on her OB-GYN practice in Houston, Texas. Her patients are primarily like ours: single and poor. She is also an outspoken advocate for marriage before children. “The girls don’t think they have to get married. I tell them children deserve a mama and a daddy. They really do.” However, she is one of only a few who are boldly speaking about the issue. Fortunately, as the result of her commitment to helping Houston’s poorest women, she is someone who has earned her voice.

The statistics for children raised in single parent homes is very bleak. They make up 80% of all prison inmates, 72% of juvenile murderers, and 60% of all rapists. These children also account for 70% of all teenage births, as well as dropouts, suicides and runaways. Since half of all unwed mothers live below the poverty line, their children are six times more likely to live in poverty. In reality, it is not race that is the main cause of poverty, it is whether or not a child’s parents are married.  This is not a judgment call: these are just the cold, hard facts.

This has been a subject which has gripped my heart for quite some time. I see struggling women everyday, and I know the prognosis is not good for their children.  To many, abortion seems an easy answer. However, I have never understood how death can be the solution to anything. The statistics are grim for many children of single parents, but abortion completely eliminates any hope they might have. This is not even to mention the harm it does to the women, both physically and emotionally. So, since this is my blog I am eliminating abortion from the discussion.

A few months ago, I read a book called, “Promises I Can Keep: Why Poor Women Put Motherhood Before Marriage.” (Authored by Maria Kefalas and Kathryn Edin.) The book was based on interviews with 162 low-income single mothers.  I became convinced by the end of the book that the lives of many of these women actually improved after having their children. Many gained a reason to live, as well as to pursue their education and get off drugs.

Instead of having a low opinion of marriage, most of the women interviewed were actually not married because of the high regard they had for it. Many of the men around them were in jail or jobless and were not considered “good husband” material. However, the women did not want to put off child-bearing just because they could not find a man to marry. Children were  too important to them, so they took on the parenting responsibilities alone.

In addition, welfare often punishes couples who are married. They can make more individually than they can together as a legally united couple. Personally, I blame this policy for generations of families who have literally been paid to live apart. In fact, I will go even farther than that: I see welfare destroying the American family on a daily basis. However, that is another blog for another day.

According to Dr. Carroll, the issue of black single parenthood is the issue that “nobody talks about. Even in black churches…. it’s like some big secret.” However, this new blogging network is one sign that things are beginning to change.

As this new group, “No Wedding, No Womb” points out, children need a father and a mother! Both have unique and necessary things to offer a child. As I’ve pointed out, statistics more than back this up.

Until things change, the situation with children in single parent homes will continue to get worse. As Amy Wax, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania wrote in her book, “Race, Wrongs and Remedies: Group Justice in the 21st Century, “… even though discrimination caused blacks’ present day problems, only black action can cure them.” She continues, “The black community has fallen into this horribly dysfunctional equilibrium” with unwed mothers. They will never be equal until the vast majority of children have fathers in their homes married to their mothers.

This is hardly a simple problem. However, groups like “No Wedding, No Womb,” give me new hope. Problems have to be acknowledged before they can change. I think dialogue is always a good thing, especially when it leads to action. I’m going to keep my eye on this organization and others as they spring up, and I will keep you posted.

Keeping it true!  Barb