Abortion: A Worldwide Dilemma

Forty percent of the world's population has legal access to abortion on demand. It is estimated that 40 to 50 million babies are killed by abortion every year, both legally and illegally.

The developing world looks to the laws of the United States as a model for their own policies concerning abortion. Since we are "the leader of the free world," and since our laws allow abortion on demand, other countries seek to emulate us.

Abortion is viewed as a badge of freedom and empowerment by many in the Third world, yet it is a sin that results in severe emotional, spiritual, and physical consequences.

Overview of Abortion in Selected Countries

• Abortion is restricted in most Latin American countries, although pressure to legalize grows. Planned Parenthood claims illegal abortions occur at a rate of eight per minute.
  

• Cultural pressures and a growing disdain for religious influences fuel the drive to legalize abortion in Brazil.

• South Africa legalized abortion in 1997. Abortion advocates provide mobile abortion clinics into the interior.

• Policies of the United Nations, together with the International Planned Parenthood Federation, promote a pro-abortion, anti-family agenda for Third World nations.

• England, Spain, and the Netherlands have some of the most liberal abortion laws.

• In Cuba, Bulgaria, Romania and former Soviet republics over half of all pregnancies end in abortion.

• If you'd like to know more about the abortion situation in your field of service, contact Baptists for Life.

How is Baptists for Life responding to this worldwide need?

Since 1973, the pregnancy care center model has proven to be an effective means of saving lives and sharing the Gospel. Thousands of women have come to know forgiveness in Christ through the patient, faithful witness of PCC volunteers.

Since 1984, BFL has been helping believers establish PCCs in the U.S., and now partners with missionaries and their agencies to facilitate the formation of pro-life ministries on the mission field. Here's an example of how it works, from our 2010 trip to Togo.

Here's how the partnership works: Baptists for Life arranges internships for missionaries in a pregnancy care center near their homes. (There are over 2,400 PCCs in the U.S.) BFL will also sponsor them to attend a Leadership Summit for additional training and fellowship with other PCC personnel.

Missionaries receive ongoing support and training to equip them to launch a PCC ministry on the field. Whenever possible, BFL will provide training to groups of missionaries in their countries of service, or at missionary conferences. Missionaries also benefit from the counsel and expertise of BFL's associated PCC network.

We are flexible and will accommodate you! Please contact BFL to arrange time for consultation.

Pregnancy Care Centers and Local Church Planting

• Offers missionaries who plant churches credibility and identification with community

• Establishes relationships and gains confidence

• Opens doors to the community

• Follows the medical missions model

Pregnancy Care Center Ministry Objectives

• Provide a biblical response to the abortion mentality

• Help women make life-affirming decisions

• Care for physical, emotional, and spiritual needs

• Share the Gospel and guide new believers toward discipleship within a local church

Services offered by Pregnancy Care Centers

• Free pregnancy testing (usually a self-test)

• Counsel and encouragement
  

• Education on pregnancy, abortion and alternatives, childbirth and parenting, sexual abstinence outside marriage

• Referrals for medical care, social services, adoption, housing, legal assistance

• Post-abortion care

• Discipleship and friendship

Related Articles:
Putting Our [Abortion] Problem in Perspective
Veronica's Story
Pro-Life in the Philippines

Facebook groups:
BFL for Africa
BFL for Latin America

Contact Baptists for Life, Inc.

Email: Please include a working email or other contact
Phone: (616) 257-6800
Mail: P.O. Box 3158, Grand Rapids, MI 49501