The following testimony by Renee is from the recent request by CNN for those who have experienced abortion to share their stories. Renee was one of our participants in Lumina's Sibling day last spring here in New York.
It has been amazing to see the work of God in her
life since attending the retreat.I am so proud of her!
Providing a safe place for those who suffer from sibling survivor guilt
is very crucial. A place just for them, where they can express
all of their feelings without fear. Fear of being judged because of feelings
they have, fear of others judging their parent who they love, and fear of
hurting those who are already suffering because of an abortion.
We are so grateful to God for being able to provide such a place and to witness His work in the lives of those who have attended. If you feel called to support this work, which we are hoping to expand into a weekend, please send donation marked for siblings to: Lumina, 1955 Needham Ave, NY 110466
Our next sibling day is April 20th. To register call 877 586 4621
Speaking Up For Post Abortive Siblings
Hi, my name
is Renee. While I've never had an abortion, I was deeply affected by
the loss of my brother as the result of one. Since finding out 7 years
ago, I have gone through unimaginable pain. Yet, I have also been
blessed in ways I never could've imagined. I am sharing my story in the
hope that it will inspire others who are going through similar
situations, as well as help those around them who may not understand
what is going on.
My own journey started one night when
mom said she wanted to talk to us. We had no idea what was coming. She
began recalling a very dark time in our lives in which she became
unexpectedly pregnant. I got a little more nervous hearing that. How did
I not notice at that time? It must mean she had miscarried or
something. Where was that baby now? Abortion never crossed my mind, as
we'd been raised knowing it took a life, etc. Hearing her say that she
had in fact had one, was incredibly shocking. But we could all see how
sad she was, so went up and hugged her assuring her we loved her no
less. In her great strength she answered our questions, telling us among
other things, the date it happened, and the name she had chosen for
him, Joey :) Having that information has made it so much easier to deal
with in some ways.
The next day I found myself in
emotional pain. I couldn't figure out the cause at first, but then I
remembered the conversation the night before.
I spent
the next 6 years doing my best to avoid thinking about him, how he died,
etc. Easier said than done. Among other things, it became hard for me
to acknowledge the youngest in our family as such, because Joey was now
the youngest. While in one sense I wanted to forget him, I was very
upset that he wasn't being constantly acknowledged. I also began
thinking more about the fact that I was unplanned. Why was I saved and
not him? Despite these issues, I never really resented mom. In fact, as
with Joey, I became very defensive of her and while I was technically
against abortion, I was also turned off to the pro life movement,
believing it was basically filled with post abortive condemning graphic
image wielders.
The rest is here: http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-928197
