A celebration of life...

"A 12 year old pregnant girl can walk into a hospital in South Africa and request an abortion without her parent's consent. As she leaves she picks up the free condoms in the lobby with instructions stapled through the package (and through the condom)... but it is illegal for her to kiss her boyfriend in public until she is 16 years old!" From the perspective of a teenager, this was shared at the "Africa Cares For Life" national conference in Durban South Africa last week.

With a vision to impact the destiny of pregnant women and their children. Africa Cares For Life exists to initiate, equip and develop new pregnancy care centres that render preventative and curative services to women, children and families affected by crisis pregnancies and related issues such as rape, miscarriages, abortion, STI and HIV/ Aids.

"Fifty percent of all pregnancies in South Africa end up in abortion and more than 500 000 women have had the procedure done since the introduction of the new laws in 1997." (The Star, South Africa March 9, 2007)

Funds were donated/raised for 10 ladies of the Options Crisis Pregnancy center to attend this year's annual conference. I was blessed to be part of this year's contingent attending. My involvement with Options to this point has been helping develop curriculum for the schools team and also visiting classes at one of the high schools. My understanding of the great need to share God's love with girls facing the above crisis' was expanded and I left with a stronger desire to find other ways to assist Options in their ministry.

"For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book
before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139:13-16)