For You From The Word
Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. (Psalm 25:20)
For You To Think About
94% pregnant Irish women choose to give birth. Just 6% opt for abortion. But for these desperate women, the emotional expense in deciding against life carries extra financial burdens with it.
Abortion is illegal in Ireland and Northern Ireland, but legal in England. Every year, a secret trail leads 5,000 isolated, ashamed women to travel from the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland to have abortions in England. The Irish 1861 Offences Against The Person Act gave the unborn an explicit right to life from conception.
“A woman could easily become fearful about her capacity to raise her child on her own,” says David Logan of Ireland’s Life News . “Some women might be tempted to think that their difficulties would be resolved by having an abortion.”
Even advocates for choice describe the overwhelming levels of shame and isolation experienced by Irish women who face an unplanned pregnancy. “There is an inability to talk about it,” says Mara Clark, founder and director of the UK’s Abortion Support Network. “They lie to friends, families and work… they have kept it bottled up.”
Thousands of lives might be saved if Irish women had a Friend during an unplanned pregnancy – someone to provide a listening ear and support.
For You To Pray
Lord of compassion,
Raise up Friends to provide support for Irish women who face an unplanned pregnancy. Help shut down this secret trail of lost lives … and lead these women to choose life.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.