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By Saku N. as told to Kathy Widenhouse
It was unthinkable for me, a pastor’s daughter who loved the Lord with abandon, to consider abortion. But for the first time in my life, I did.
I conceived just a few days after I joined my husband in the U.S. We’d been apart for 18 months. In my home country, I had a good job, lots of friends, and an active social life. But now, in a strange country with no friends and no money, I was unbearably lonely. My husband declared bankruptcy. We moved in with his relatives. I would soon find out that he passed along an STD to me.
 Then, he became abusive.
For awhile, I denied my situation. I could take care of myself, I reasoned.
By God’s grace, my mother-in-law attended McLean Bible Church (McLean, VA). During one of my first visits with her, I picked up a Birthmothers card in the ladies room that said, “Pregnant? Need a Friend?” with a telephone number to call.
I was unfamiliar with how American women interacted with each other and afraid I wouldn’t be accepted. Also, I’m not proactive. So instead of calling Birthmothers right away, I held onto the card. But after I cried myself to sleep every night for several weeks, I realized I needed to talk with somebody.
My call to Birthmothers was the first time I reached out to a stranger. The kind lady on the phone matched me with Julie. Thank God – I finally had a Friend!
When I met Julie, more fears surfaced. This will never work, I thought. She is white and I am Asian. My stress was overwhelming. I knew no one. I had nothing – no job, no car, and no money. I didn’t even have a driver’s license. My anxiety was so overpowering that I was afraid I would miscarry.
But Julie was patient and caring. She made time to visit me and listen to me, even though she has three children of her own. Right away, that eased my loneliness.
Together, she and her husband took steps to make sure I was physically safe. They helped me move into a home for abused women. Julie stood by me when the courts placed a restraining order on my husband.
Julie later told me that she prayed very hard that I would keep my child and not abort. Her encouragement made all the difference.
If a pregnant woman would ask me whether or not she should call Birthmothers and be matched with a Friend, I would tell her not to hesitate and not to be scared, but rather be open to receive what a Friend can offer.
Julie’s husband once told me, “Maybe in the past, you’ve been a giver. But there are times in your life when you need to receive. Now is one of them.” I am so grateful I reached out to ask for help. Julie has been a true Friend to me! She helped me have courage to carry my baby to term. Today, I’m the mother of a beautiful, healthy baby girl.
Find out how you can become a Birthmothers Friend when you contact Friends Program Director Kelly Woody at (703) 261-6370 or by email.
 This Mother’s Day, tell your mother you’re glad she chose life. Post a tribute to her on our website.
Your words could be the tipping point for a woman considering whether or not to choose life for her baby!
You can honor your mother further when you give a tax-deductible gift to Birthmothers in her name. We’ll send her a special copy of Prayers & Promises for Mothers devotional to thank her for her sacrifice.
Please encourage pregnant women you know to log onto our “Honor Your Mother” page on our website and read the tributes there. And be sure to post your tribute to your mother, birth mother, adoptive mother, or other special woman who has been like a mother to you!
One reader recently shared this beautiful tribute:
"My mom is in heaven. I was born in 1945 out of rape. I was 3 months premature and had a very low chance of surviving. I thank my mother for choosing life. If she hadn't, I wouldn't have my son and my 2 beautiful grandbabies. So, therefore, let me encourage you to choose life, as your mother and my mother did. Thank you, God bless you and Happy Mother's Day."
 Birthmothers is reaching more women who face an unplanned pregnancy through Facebook!
Help us to connect to even more hurting women by joining our page. By joining, you'll help at least 4 ways:
1. We'll reach more women. When your Facebook friends see Birthmothers information on your Facebook page, then they'll be able to connect more pregnant women to us to be matched with a Friend.
2. We'll recruit more volunteers. When your friends see that you're a Birthmothers Friend, you'll help recruit more volunteers to serve hurting women and families. (You can help even more when you write a short testimony explaining what being a Friend means to you.)
3. We'll identify more Partnering Chuches. When your friends hear about Birthmothers, they'll want to learn how their church can start a Birthmothers ministry and serve women in their own communities.
4. We'll cultivate more financial support. Partners are directed to our website in order to give online.
If you're not yet on Facebook, just log onto www.facebook.com and open a free account. It takes just a couple of minutes. And you'll start connecting with others online who care about women, children, and families. You could even help save lives.
 Plan now to join Birthmothers, special guest Mike Williams -- known as "the funniest man in God's Kingdom" --and Christian artist John Schlitt for a beautiful evening that celebrates our one-on-one ministry to women who face an unplanned pregnancy.
Mark your calendar for Thursday, October 14 at the Sheraton Premiere Tysons Corner, Vienna, VA for A Friend Loves At All Times: An Evening To Remember.
When you or your business become an event sponsor, you can show others how important it is to stand for life, plus you will make an overwhelming difference for women who face an unplanned pregnancy. Learn more about 2010 Dinner Sponsorship information
83% women who have had an abortion say they would have made a different decision if they'd had support from a special person during pregnancy.
 Birthmothers makes a difference. 100% women matched with a Birthmothers Friend in 2009 chose life.
Your tax-deductible gift makes it possible for more women to be matched with a loving, trained Birthmothers Friend for one-on-one support during an unplanned pregnancy. Give here.
Thank you for your prayers and support.
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