Behind the Scenes
At the end of January, we launched the 2018 CAPSS National Conference website! The conference is happening April 17-20 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. This is a very important equipping and encouraging time for pregnancy care centre staff, board, and volunteers! We are excited about the speakers and workshops, and we are looking forward to connecting as one unified group. This conference is only possible because of the ongoing support you provide! So, thank you! We will be sure to report back to you on conference in the next newsletter.
We are also excited about a new opportunity - the French Translation Project! Quebec is a big province, and yet there are only two CAPSS-affiliated pregnancy care centres there. We know there is interest and a great need to establish more. In order to do this effectively and with excellence, CAPSS manuals need to be translated into French. This is a big undertaking, but we know God will provide. You can read more about this project in the Ask Dr. Laura section below!
Life News
On any given Sunday, if statistics are even slightly accurate, thousands of post-abortive women are sitting in church buildings across Canada. If abortion is not discussed with mercy and compassion, or not discussed at all, these women can feel silenced and disqualified from having a deeper faith journey.
So then, "How can the church speak mercy, forgiveness, healing, and grace to the post-abortive woman, so she can embrace the freedom and love promised to all who trust in Jesus Christ?"
In February, CAPSS released Healing Conversations, a video and booklet created to help pastors and those in the church start conversations on the topic of abortion. These resources are designed to inform and educate on the realities of abortion in Canada, introduce ways the Canadian church can approach this subject, and encourage partnership with local pregnancy care centres.
The Healing Conversations video is shown below. It can be downloaded here and it is available to view on the CAPSS website, where you will also find an application form to order the booklet. This booklet is an excellent resource on the status of abortion in Canada, post-abortion stress, and how to start the conversation.
Please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have questions or to give feedback on these new resources!
We envision that as the church and pregnancy care ministries collaborate, thousands of post-abortive women will find hope, healing, and forgiveness. Thank you for partnering with us to start and facilitate healing conversations.
Making an Impact
Every year we gather statistics from CAPSS-affiliated pregnancy care centres. We look for impact in areas such as client visits, babies born, material supports, post-abortion counselling, healthy relationship presentations, and clients who were presented the gospel. We are currently collecting this information and will be sharing this with you soon in the CAPSS Annual Report!
But even more telling than compiled numbers is the difference your support is making in individual lives. Your support equips pregnancy care centres to provide the best care possible and reach those who are in need of help. Please be blessed and encouraged by the client quotes below, shared by one of our affiliated centres:
- Thank you so much. The pregnancy care centre is full of wonderful caring people that allow parents to find their own path and help along the way! Without judgment they help many families grow and prosper - thank you!
- My experience with the pregnancy care centre was excellent. I went there when I was 3 months pregnant. They did great counselling, motivated me a lot, and since it was an unplanned pregnancy, things were different. But through the guidance and counselling things went smooth. Now my baby is 2 months old. So happy to be loved and supported by the pregnancy care centre. Thank you so much.
- I could say many things about how you welcomed me and made me feel like my son was worthy of celebration; but when it comes right down to it, you helped save his life. Thank you is not sufficient.
This is the difference you are making. Thank you!
Ask Dr. Laura
Q: What can you tell us about the French Translation Project?
A: Many years ago I worked as an au pair in France. It was an interesting year filled with opportunity, hardship, and many lessons in life. Even after living among French speaking individuals for the greater part of one year, I still found it difficult to discuss matters that had emotional depth or nuance. I didn't understand the language well enough.
We are blessed to live in a bilingual nation. I love and value the diversity of the Quebecois culture and language. Sadly, even though Quebec has approximately the same incidence of abortion as several other provinces, it has very little pregnancy care support for individuals struggling with an unplanned pregnancy.
Recently, there has been both interest and initiatives that have brought CAPSS into the awareness that we can do more - and we want to do more to help! One of the best ways we can begin this effort is to provide quality French language resources. And so, we have begun our French Translation Project! We have a skilled translator lined up and we have key documents that are being prepared for translation - specifically our Essentials Manual, which is a comprehensive "how to" manual for communities looking to establish a pregnancy care centre.
We are excited to see what God is doing and how He will change hearts and save lives in Quebec!
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