A Role Model for Acting Like Children are Dying.

Meet Jinny. Our JFA staff fell head over heels over her because she acts like children are dying (by abortion). And celebrates when they don't.

Jinny almost single handedly brought the Justice For All Exhibit training program to her campus, Pasadena City College this past May. I had the opportunity to catch up with her in late July by phone.

At the end of our conversation I reminded Jinny that the JFA staff prays for 30 minutes each weekday at 10:30AM. She emailed me last week (August 13) with this prayer request:

David,

Sunday night, I got a phone call from [an acquaintance]. She was crying because she found out she's pregnant. The conversation was very short. I called her Monday and Tuesday but she didn't pick up. I finally got a hold of her today.

She’s wants an abortion. She’s going to Planned Parenthood tomorrow for information. I’m trying to convince her to keep her baby and to go with me to a crisis pregnancy center.

Can you please pray that she changes her mind?

Thanks, Jinny

My reply:

Jinny, remember your JFA training. Listen, ask good questions, and repeat often.

If Amanda (not her real name) is determined to go to Planned Parenthood, offer to go with her. You might try, "If I go with you to Planned Parenthood will you also come with me to the crisis pregnancy center?"

If you go with her to Planned Parenthood, ask Amanda to request that you be permitted to accompany her throughout her entire appointment. Use your own judgment, but you probably should not talk during the appointment unless Amanda or a Planned Parenthood official asks you a question.

If Amanda will also accompany you to a crisis pregnancy center, have her ask for you to accompany her throughout that entire appointment also. Do not depend on a crisis pregnancy center to show her what she needs to see.

Take a JFA Exhibit brochure with you to show Amanda both human development and abortion. (I advise against taking it into Planned Parenthood.)

About how old is Amanda's unborn child? If you can get her into a room with a computer and high speed Internet, show her this web site - http://www.ehd.org/resources_bpd_illustrated.php (click on the suspected age of Amanda's unborn child and scroll down the page). Talk with Amanda about the development in her unborn child that has already taken place, and will take place in the weeks to come.

But remember, you must not only re-humanize her child, you must help make abortion real for Amanda. This site - http://cbrinfo.org - actually shows a first trimester abortion being done - ask her to watch it with you.

Spend as much time with Amanda as she will permit you to do. Gently ask her if you can pray for her and the difficult situation that she and her unborn baby face. Inquire about the posture of the father of the baby; what do her parents will think (has she told them she's with child?); their involvement may be helpful unless they would pressure her toward abortion.

We're praying - keep us posted.

David

I urged Jinny to remember her training (above). We set up the JFA Exhibit on campuses like Pasadena every month to give students like Jinny a chance to practice their JFA ambassador training.

Yet in truth Jinny had been practicing her training (i.e., her faith) from the moment she emailed our office in 2008 to ask if we would bring our Exhibit training program to her campus.

The good news is what Jinny didn’t elaborate upon in her first email. Jinny phoned me two days later to report that she had actually met with Amanda (= “finally got hold of her”).

And that when they met, Jinny used the Justice For All Exhibit brochure (pp. 2-4) to show Amanda "life before birth" (Side 1: Panel 1, Panel 2, & Panel 3) and "death by abortion" (p.5, Side 1: Panel 4). Jinny reported that Amanda took additional time to look at the JFA Exhibit brochure again before leaving that day.

But that now Amanda was not answering her calls. Jinny feared any future opportunity to see Amanda before her appointment at Planned Parenthood was unlikely.

Jinny said she had Amanda’s mother’s phone number. Should she call her? Jinny feared doing so might burn her relational bridge with Amanda. Yet if she didn’t call… . All indicators pointed that Amanda might get an abortion – later that day.

Jinny chose to call Amanda’s mom to tell her that Amanda was with child and had told Jinny that she wanted to get an abortion. Jinny reported her Amanda’s mom to be very pro-life and very concerned, but not inclined to help Jinny have additional contact with Amanda.

Jinny decided to spend most of Friday, August 14 at the abortion clinic to watch and to wait for Amanda in hopes of talking with Amanda further (since that abortion clinic only does abortions on Fridays).

On August 17 Jinny emailed to say,

David,

Update on the previous prayer request:

On Friday, I didn’t see her at the clinic. I’m not too sure what’s going because she is no longer telling me. But according to her mom, [she] has an appointment for an abortion [on] Friday, August 28. That's in 1 ½ weeks. Let us go before the Lord and plead God to save both the baby and the mother.

Jinny

P.S. Thank you so much for your help, prayer, and all that you do!!!!

And on August 23 wrote,

Hey David,

Prayer Request Update:

Please continue to pray for [Amanda] and her decision.

I believe she is still confused about whether to keep the baby or have an abortion. But I believe God is moving and softening her heart. I recently got this message from her mom:

“Thanks for the info on the clinic (the pregnancy help center). She is leaning more to keeping it (the baby). [She’s] even thinking of names. Please keep praying. She is still kind of confused. Thanks so much! God has answered some specific prayers for her lately and I am praying that this crisis will draw her back to Jesus.”

Thank you so much for all your prayers,

Jinny

August 24 I replied,

Jinny, thanks for the update. We continue to pray. Are you now at [college] or still at home?

David

August 25 Jinny answered,

I just moved up to [my college].

August 26

Jinny,

We're praying for you to have the best year ever!

I'm sure you've already thought of this and have done it but just a reminder to call Amanda's mom each day to ask how she's doing and to pray with her on the phone. Equipping Amanda's mom is the best insurance for helping Amanda's baby and Amanda (and the baby's father).

Let me know Amanda's mom would be interested in talking with one of our staff.

David

August 29

Hi [David],

Prayer Request Update:

[Amanda] had an appointment (for an abortion) scheduled for yesterday, August 28. Currently, I do not know if she went, canceled, or postpone her appointment.

I [sent a] text [to a mutual friend] and called her mom yesterday but they both didn't respond. I really wanted to get back to you last night. Sorry about that. I'll let you know what’s going on when I find out more
information.

In Christ,

Jinny

August 31, Jinny wrote to say:

David,

[Amanda] did not go in for her abortion appointment!!!

According to her mom, [she] has been talking about having the baby. She’s even going in for her first prenatal care this week!!

This is very different from her initial response. Praise God!! He is so good. He is the one who changes people’s hearts! Please continue to pray for her.

Thank you so much for your petitions and prayers to God!!! Do you have any prayer requests?

In Christ,

Jinny

For those of you who've read to end, the best is saved for last! It's a text message from Amanda to Jinny (edited for size):

"Hey Jinny. ...Well I just wanted to tell u sorry if I was a little harsh on you. I just felt like it wasn’t your place to tell my parents. But I know that you were trying to help and maybe it was for the best that they found out early on. Anyways I think I'm keeping the baby! So I’ll keep you updated and send you pics ... when the little one is born.... I realize that I would probably regret killing it but I would never regret my baby. I just hope the little one is healthy and safe. Yes please keep praying for us!...I think it’s a boy...I'm getting excited to meet the little one!"
-Amanda