A voice for the voiceless

My name is Adrianne. I originally worked in education. After my husband became a pastor, I began training in contextual pastoral care so I could work more closely with him in the church. I focused mainly on ministry to women—and I truly love that! But in the next church we served, I noticed that the needs there were different. I began searching and praying about what I could do—besides being a mother.

Through various circumstances, the topic of abortion crossed my path. This was completely new territory for me. So I reached out to Schreeuw om Leven (“Cry for Life”). They provided me with materials to guide someone through a post‑abortion healing process. I started volunteering, and not long after, I was asked if I wanted to join the team as a post‑abortion counselor. That was a clear answer to my prayer about where God wanted me to use my gifts.

My heart is with women who have become somewhat voiceless because of their abortion: I want to hear them and understand them. Especially in the Christian world, abortion is a topic that can easily be swept under the rug. How beautiful it is, then, to listen these women into the light and hear what truly lives in their hearts!

Proverbs 31:8
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; defend the rights of the oppressed.” (NBV21)

A natural connection with God

In my work, I experience my connection with God in a very unconscious and natural way. In conversations, I often intuitively sense what I can or cannot say, and which doors should remain open or closed. Because we don’t only work with Christian women, I don’t always bring God into the conversation. Sometimes I can, and then beautiful conversations about Jesus unfold. It’s not my first approach, though of course I love talking about Him!

As a team, we regularly pray for our work. We also always share something from the Bible with one another. Because we are a broad Christian team, this looks different each time. For one person, praying out loud is challenging; for another, it’s not. Listening to impressions from the Holy Spirit happens more individually.

Together we build toward the same goal: we work for a hopeful future for both mother and child, and we strive for a society in which abortion is unnecessary and unthinkable. We support women and men who are facing an unplanned pregnancy or who are dealing with the aftermath of abortion.

I consider it a privilege to do this work!