Options....

We have so many different options in life. What do we want to wear each day. What do we want to eat. Where to we want to live. Where do we want to go to college. What job do we want to take. In my case, what color hair do I want for a few months. We are faced with “options” every day. My outlook on options changed drastically this past Thursday when I was able and honored to be able to participate with the Options ministry here in South Africa. Options is an amazing ministry that goes into the hospitals here in Cape Town and goes to the hospital wing where no one else really wants to or really wants to talk about. The abortion wing of the hospital. Now, don’t get me wrong, Options is not Pro-abortion by any means…let me explain what this ministry is all about. Options is part of YFC here in Cape Town and is a Christian organization, obviously. Options goes in and does counseling with women who have come in to have an abortion and try their best to talk them OUT of the abortion and give the women different OPTIONS on what to do with their pregnancy. A lot of the women that come through this place don’t even realize there are other options for them and they think that the easiest way to deal with their pregnancy is abortion. Most girls/women who come in are in their first trimester but there are a large number that come in that are in their second trimester. Good thing, this hospital does not perform an abortion if the woman is a day over 20 weeks (not that any abortion is the best, but at least there are boundaries.) So a typical day for options would be to come in, all of the counselors have a prayer together, and then the girls start showing up. The girls are herded (like cows) into a room where they are given information and then herded to another room where they wait—wait for the counselors. One by one the women go into a room where they are given a counseling session by one of our counselors—there are 3 certified women who do the counseling, and I was sitting in for this day. Depending on the circumstance, they are asked how old they are, if they are married, if they have a job, and the final question…do you know how pregnant you are. Many of the girls that I was in on were women who were over the 20 week mark and we told that they couldn’t get an abortion, even if they wanted to. The reaction was always the same…tears came, fear came over their face, silence filled the room. But what a beautiful thing when they were told there were other options for them—adoption or to keep the baby and it was amazing—every girl decided to keep their baby all because they were a day too late. ONE DAY!!! Tell me that’s not a God thing. The other group of girls are the first trimester girls who are below 19 weeks in their pregnancy. These girls come in with it already in their head that they will be getting an abortion. I only sat in on one of these counseling sessions, and it’s intense. These girls have their mind made up—but through talking with them, many of them end up changing their mind. Although not all of them have a change of heart and mind, it’s a beautiful thing to see at least 1 or 2 change their mind. Now….let me be completely honest with all of you….coming here, I never would have thought I would be working with women, especially in this way. My thing is youth ministry—or teaching high school, that’s where I’m comfortable. Oh man, I have been completely SHOVED out of my comfort zone and my heart is so broken for these women. I know that God has been working on my heart since I have been here, and I wasn’t exactly sure what He had planned, but as soon as I stepped in that hospital yesterday, I knew that I needed to be there. After seeing all of those women and after hearing their stories and being able to pray with them, my heart and life are forever changed. Now I’m not saying that I’m done with youth by any means—that’s my heart! But God has something for me with working with women…and I don’t think He is done yet! The next 4 weeks I give to Him and know that He is going to show me things that I least expect and that will continue to change my heart. He is up to something…I know with all my heart that He is going to continue to stretch me and push me into things I least expect! Man, what a cool feeling!

Not only do we need prayer for Kylemore High school still, please pray for the women who come through Karl Bremmer Hospital every week. Pray that they would all be just that 1 day too late to go through with their decision.
Pray for myself for strength, guidance, wisdom, peace, joy, humbleness and understanding. Pray for my health—nothing major, but been having some crazy tummy issues. Pray for our house, the volunteers, YFC Cape Town.

Right now as I write this, I have 34 days left here in South Africa. Pray that I would live IN this time and not THROUGH this time. He isn’t done with me….

Can’t wait to see all of your smiling faces and expect so many hugs!! So thankful for all of you! I’m not sure if thank you is enough to express my thanks. I.am.blessed!
So much love,
Shawna