Posted on 01/21/2008 11:45:10 AM PST by Between the Lines
DENVER (BP)--A Colorado ministry to women in crisis pregnancies recently received a big boost toward its efforts to save human lives -- a new sonogram machine.
The SBC's Psalm 139 Project -- an effort of the convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission to educate Southern Baptists on the value of ultrasound technology in crisis pregnancy situations -- selected Riverside Pregnancy Center to receive the equipment. The project also provides a way for individuals to contribute to a fund that places the machines in qualified centers.
Psalm 139 was the inspiration for the project. The Old Testament verses affirm the fact that we are uniquely created by God Himself, in fact, "knit" together in our mother's womb.
The Denver-based pregnancy care center, a ministry of the city's Riverside Baptist Church, has been advocating for life since 2000.
The center received the machine last November.
"It has been a long journey to receive an ultrasound," center director Terri Baxter said. "We have been trying for years, and as a small center we ran into all kinds of obstacles from finances, to insurance, to training for the ultrasound, to adequate space to place it and again finances."
For four days, the crisis pregnancy center's staff was trained to use the new piece of equipment -- a critical part of the process that the Psalm 139 Project provides.
And it wasn't long before the value of ultrasound technology was personally demonstrated to the clinic's staff and volunteers. During the training period, Baxter said that a young lady came into their offices with her mother and her boyfriend.
"Abortion was definitely an option for her and her boyfriend," Baxter said. "Yet they had the ultrasound and took home pictures of the baby in her womb."
Baxter noted the young lady's boyfriend was very quiet when they came out of the examining room, refusing to look any of the workers in the eye. While the young lady's mother was urging her to keep the baby, the young lady only said she had some decisions to make.
While Baxter and the staff have no idea what the couple's final decision was, nurses at the center said their faces changed dramatically when they saw images of the active unborn baby.
"We are so excited about the difference an ultrasound is going to make in our center," Baxter said. "When women come into the center abortion-minded, if they are able to have an ultrasound, 90 percent will change their mind to parent or to place for adoption instead of taking that child's life."
Another woman came in during the training who reportedly was 8-10 weeks pregnant, Baxter said. Yet the ultrasound did not reveal any evidence of a pregnancy, so the client was referred to a local physician.
While the clinic staff thought they had done the sonogram improperly, Baxter said a few days later they learned the doctor had advised the client that there was a problem with her pregnancy.
"Thanks to having an ultrasound we were able to help a woman address complications early instead of too late," Baxter said.
Throughout its existence the center has been intentional about sharing the Gospel with those who come through the front door, Baxter said.
"We know if women are saved spiritually; we will save more babies physically," she stated.
Most of the volunteers are members of Riverside Baptist.
Because of the gifts of Southern Baptists to the Psalm 139 Project sonogram equipment has been placed in pregnancy care centers in San Marcos, Texas; New Albany, Ind.; San Bernardino, Calif., Corinth, Miss.
Riverside's pregnancy center is affiliated with the SBC's North American Mission Board. Such affiliation affords local centers a "great source of volunteers, financial income and prayer support," said Elaine Ham, the national consultant for pregnancy care ministries with NAMB.
NAMB works with local churches and Baptist associations "to start new centers, offering board, evangelism and volunteer training, as well as Bibles and other resources to the new center -- all at no cost to the center," Ham said, noting the importance of the convention's Cooperative Program funding mechanism to launch new centers.
There are no fees to be paid to affiliate with NAMB, Ham explained, adding that the staff of these care centers are then eligible for insurance and retirement benefits through Southern Baptist channels.
She said it has been her experience that when Southern Baptist churches discover that a center is partnering with the North American Mission Board, "they are much more open to providing financial resources and volunteers to the centers."
There currently are 225 pregnancy care centers that are affiliated with NAMB, Ham said.
Bump.
OK that's just one person, but not an isolated case.
I’m no expert on the bible so I looked up Psalm 139 .. here it is:
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Psalm 139
1O lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
2Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought afar off.
3Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.
4For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, thou knowest it altogether.
5Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.
6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.
7Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence?
8If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there.
9If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea;
10Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.
11If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me.
12Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
13For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
14I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
15My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
16Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
17How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
18If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.
19Surely thou wilt slay the wicked, O God: depart from me therefore, ye bloody men.
20For they speak against thee wickedly, and thine enemies take thy name in vain.
21Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee?
22I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.
23Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
24And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Bump
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