Retreat Testimonials

Here are three Project Rachel Testimonies that were sent to me. This last sentence really touched me -- "When a woman is able to honor the dignity of her child’s life she recaptures the dignity of her own." Please pray that the retreat attendees at this weekend's Project Rachel retreat will find the same peace and healing that these women have found. God bless.

February 2005

When “Renée” first called Project Rachel, she had been unable to sleep for two years since her abortion due to recurrent nightmares. Renée’s low energy and depression were evident throughout several conversations prior to the retreat. Indeed, two days before the retreat was to begin, Renée called to cancel saying, “I just need to get some sleep and feel better before I can come.” Fortunately, through much prayer and the encouragement of a past retreatant, Renée did indeed join us for our healing weekend.

God is so good! After naming and writing a letter to her child on Saturday evening, Renée slept soundly for the first time in two years! Her nightmares are gone, but instead, she experienced a beautiful, vivid dream of holding and playing with her child in a place only to be described as heavenly. Renée now joyfully reports, “I feel like a different person.” Indeed, she is! Our Lord has promised, “See, I make all things new!”

April 2005

Several retreatants at our April retreat expressed that healing occurs, not just for the individual, but for family relationships. One woman delayed childbearing for several years because she was so angry with her husband for his role in the abortion decision. She felt, “He didn’t want our child before, why should I give him one now?” Upon returning home, she was able to fully express her feelings to him. They were able to weep together and heal the wound of anger in their marriage. They are now looking forward to children in the coming year.


May 2005

Prior to our May retreat, I met one-on-one with “Tess.” Tess relayed a horrific story of a coerced late term abortion. Her family was poor and her income was deemed critical for support. Unmarried and at the tender age of 17, she beheld her much wanted baby delivered dead and was never the same since.

When we met, Tess’ life was in a shambles. She had lost her job and apartment; her car was in disrepair; she was suffering from a number of medical ailments. As we talked, I knew Tess would benefit from being able to mourn and memorialize her baby. Aborting her baby had created a great, gaping wound in her heart which had crippled her spirit for life and left her feeling diminished and worthless as a woman. Still, I must admit that I felt overwhelmed to address the many issues which would continue to face her after the retreat.

God is great beyond our expectations! Tess arrived at our six week follow-up reunion looking positively radiant! She had a huge grin on her face and told us that most of the aches and pains that she had been experiencing were a thing of the past. She is enrolled in school to get her GED and plans on entering a program to learn to become a pharmacy assistant. Her life has turned around, by God’s grace, because when a woman is able to honor the dignity of her child’s life she recaptures the dignity of her own.