Although we are located in an office in the Bronx, NY and do little advertising, the ministry of Lumina reaches across the world.
I am very blessed to communicate with people from the US, Africa, Croatia, Europe, India and everywhere else you can think of that find us through our web site at Lumina/Hope & Healing after Abortion.
One very great blessing has been to communicate over the past few years with a woman from Croatia. She struggled, as many women do, with abortions she had in her past, in spite of the fact that she had gone to the sacraments. Although I have never met her, I consider her a friend through our correspondence over the years. As we planned for our "Entering Canaan Mercy Retreat" in Medjugorje last year, she had hopes of joining us and I looked forward to finally meeting her.
As it turns out, she became pregnant with a high risk pregnancy, and again, like many women, feared she was being punished for her past abortions. Over the course of the pregnancy ,she has been in and out of the hospital, often times thinking she would never be able to bring her unborn baby to term.
Since this made it impossible for her to join us on our retreat, those of us who made the journey to Medjugorje adopted her and her unborn child in prayer. Although she was not able to be with us physically we carried her in our hearts as we participated in our retreat.
This woman's faith in spite of her fears over the course of her pregnancy, was so beautiful to witness. In spite of her "feelings" and the temptations to believe she was being punished, she perservered and trusted in the mercy and forgiveness of God.
I am so happy to share that she gave birth to a beautiful healthy little girl!
Jesus, in spite of our struggles, our weaknesses, our doubts, and temptations to despair, we trust in YOU and we thank you for the gift of forgiveness you give us and the many graces You bestow upon us. Thank you Lord for the gift of this little girl!
Jesus, we trust in You!
