Articles

A Matter of Conscience

by Sandy Shoshani

Be'ad Chaim (prolife) is a nonprofit association whose objective is to protect the unborn child and its mother. The association began to take root in 1985 when a small group of committed Bible believers began to seek God's will after learning that approximately one third of pregnancies in Israel are terminated by abortion. After much prayer, the Be'ad Chaim Association was officially recognized in 1988 by the Israeli government and the first crisis pregnancy center was opened in Jerusalem. The association now supports four different centers in the cities of Jerusalem, Beer Sheva, Tiberias, Kriyot, Nazareth, Ashkelon and Netanya.

Our centers provide confidential hot-line services, free pregnancy tests, counseling and assistance during the birth. After birth, we provide baby clothing, other essential supplies and, of course, emotional support. We work toward improving our giving ability.

Beyond the scope of assistance for the pregnant women, Be'ad Chaim is dedicated to promoting the sanctity of life through education regarding the development of human life in the womb, the consequences of destroying this life both to the child and to its mother, and the necessity for purity in sexual relationships.

In order to educate, our staff conducts regular pro-life outreaches in several cities distributing tens of thousands of brochures. Our literature provides information, alternatives, and details for receiving help in times of crisis. Soldiers are a primary target group as we know that 2.4% of the women soldiers will become pregnant during their two years in the army and 75% of these women will choose to abort their unborn child. Messianic soldiers, knowing that the army provides two free abortions to the soldiers, help by distributing our literature to their friends or leaving it in public places on their bases. They also speak for life during basic training sessions.

There have been some open doors to take critical information into the schools. We have available a DVD "Window to the Womb" and a questionaire "14 Questions that You Never Asked" prepared especially for use as aprt of the 8th grade biology curriculum. It is our hope that many other school districts will also include our materials which emphasize that human life exists from conception.

Be'ad Chaim sponsors yearly conferences on the topic of Purity and Sexuality. These conferences are very popular and hundreds of Messianic teens attend and are challenged to remain pure and abstinent until marriage. Most of the Messianic teens in Israel attend public schools and are in an environment where they are daily confronted with worldly values of immorality which are opposed to the standards of God. Be'ad Chaim aims to give our teens the tools and support system in order to walk in godliness and righteousness.

Another aspect of our work in Be'ad Chaim is to facilitate healing and freedom for the many women who suffer from Post Abortion Syndrome. All too often, even many women who have come to know the Messiah, still carry the shame and grief of a past abortion.

We offer seminars, support groups and private counseling so that these hurting women will receive the forgiveness and relief that God has for them.

A women's magazine, Beinenu is published quarterly. This magazine provides wholesome family values through articles and testimonies. It is published in both Hebrew and Russian and provides a very necessary encouragement to many who have never been taught about family issues such as marital relationships, how to discipline children, spending time with God even with a busy schedule, the sanctity of all human life, and many other vital topics.

The work that Be'ad Chaim attempts to do is not a smooth road. Needless to say that confronting society with issues of purity, the right of the unborn to live, and the consequences of abortion, both physical, emotional and spiritual is not an easy task. Talking about abortion often makes people uncomfortable. When I was asked in early 2005, if I would consider taking the position as Jerusalem coordinator, I was quite reluctant. While I believed that taking the life of the unborn is not allowed according to God's standard, it was much easier to stay in my “comfort zone” and not confront such difficult issues. Sharing about God's love is much more pleasant than talking about the shedding of innocent blood. But as I began to read, watch films, attend a Be'ad Chaim international conference and pray about God's heart for the innocent and His desire for a holy people, I realized that apathy is not a commodity in the Kingdom of God. God 's will for the nation of Israel cannot be accomplished without repentance. Psalm 106:37, 38: “They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.” Today's idols are not as apparent to the eye as the idols of Canaan. The idols of our society are personal convenience, career, reputation and money among many others, yet they are nonetheless idols to whom we sacrifice our innocent babies.

I was persuaded that I needed to take an active role in this challenging work when confronted by Proverbs 24:10-12. “If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength!” Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say,' But we knew nothing about this,' does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?” From these verses, it is apparent that indifference is not an option.

Government statistics quote over 20,000 legal abortions yearly. But unofficial statistics which include private abortions indicate double that number. Estimates have been made that in Israel, since 1948, over 2 million babies have been aborted, over 150 babies each day. The population of Israel today approaches 7 million. Had those two million babies been born rather than aborted, the difficult issues of Jewish/Arab demographics would not exist.

Local Messianic conferences often speak of God's promises to the nation and the land of Israel but sometimes exclude the need for a holy and righteous people. God calls us, as the Messianic body in the Land, to be a prophetic voice to the nation speaking his truth about the sanctity of life and God's judgment for the shedding of the blood of the innocent. Jonah, the prophet, heard the word of God and “ran away from the Lord”. Jonah did not want to be in the unpleasant position of confrontation and possible embarrassment. But neither Jonah, nor we, have the option of indifference for we are called as God's people to “be those who grieve and lament over all the detestable things that are done” . (Ezekiel 9:4)

An older believer recounted sitting in a church in Germany during the Holocaust. Behind their little church were train tracts and every Sunday morning they heard the train whistle blowing from afar and the wheels of the train rolling along the tracks. On one particular Sunday they felt very uncomfortable when they heard the screams that were coming from the train. To their dismay, they learned that the screams were coming from Jews who had been shoved in like cattle on their way to the camps. A week later, they heard the same train whistle and fear gripped them as they heard the clattering of the train wheels because they knew that the Jews would be calling out for their help as the train passed the church. They were tortured by those screams for there was nothing that they could do to help. Because they knew exactly when the train would come by, they decided that the only way to stop suffering from the screams was to sing. As the train would roll by, they would sing from the depths of their being. If the screams could still be heard, then they would sing louder until they drowned them out. The believer who told this story has never forgotten those screams, nor has he forgotten that God has called us to action and prayer.

Last week, as I was distributing fliers in downtown Jerusalem, a young man stopped me and said, “I had an abortion”. I thought that he was yet another fellow mocking me, until he explained with tears in his eyes that he and his girlfriend (now fiancee) had aborted their baby three years earlier and neither one of them had ever gotten over their grief. We spoke at length and I urged him to phone for counseling. Be'ad Chaim believes that through early education and outreach we can prevent some of this unnecessary suffering.

Many of the local pastors partner with the work of Be'ad Chaim to stop abortion. Some have invited speakers on the topic of Post Abortion Syndrome and helped organize conferences on PAS. Several congregations financially support projects or local Be'ad Chaim offices. One congregation will be preparing a new ultrasound DVD.

Be'ad Chaim would like to see more involvement of the local body in this work primarily through intercession at corporate prayer meetings and congregational prayer meetings, and more involvement in the local Be’ad Chaim prayer meetings and conferences.

Many believers could participate in the distribution of literature, placing it in waiting rooms such as in doctor's offices and other public spots as well as in the congregational foyer. We can speak up in our public schools, army, and communities for the right to life, donating DVD's and literature. Be'ad Chaim spokespeople are eager to speak to youth groups, women's groups and congregations. Congregations and individuals could sponsor a new mother by providing diapers and other basic needs. The possibilities of co-laboring with us as we take a stand for life are very broad.

We, as the local body of Messiah, are called to rescue those who are being led away to death, for God searches our hearts.

(article originally written for Mishkan Magazine)