The following is a testimony from a young lady our sidewalk counselors encountered several years ago. Her story is among the most amazing I have heard in my ten years serving in sidewalk outreach ministry. I know you will be as amazed and inspired by Jamie as I am.
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Hello! My name is Jamie. I met Vicky, a sidewalk counselor, 7 yrs ago because I came here to abort my son. I came because I felt I had no other option. At the time, I was married/but separated from a man who was on drugs and very abusive. My placenta had abrupted due to being body slammed by him. I lost my job, my mom was going through chemo, and I had 2 other children that already depended on me. My life felt like it was in shambles.
I pulled up to the abortion center and saw and heard the sidewalk counselors reaching out to me. As I sat in my car, I just could not stop crying. Vicky saw me and then came to talk to me and offered to give me a free ultrasound and information to help me and my unborn son. So I opened my heart and took her offer and went on the mobile ultrasound bus.
At the time, I was around 5 to 6 weeks pregnant. Thanks to an amazing nurse named Sherry, we heard his little heartbeat and found out he was due Christmas day! Vicky then spoke to me about the Lord and asked if I wanted to submit my life to Jesus! YES, I DID! From that point on, I left it in God’s hands.
I started going to a doctor who worked with the sidewalk counselors, and she prescribed progesterone that healed my abruption within a month. At about 7 months, Sherry came to my home, which was a couple of hours away, and gave me a baby shower. This baby shower was provided by Sheryl Chandler with Truth and Mercy pro-life ministries who partners with Love Life. I was given everything I needed until my son was two years old. My sweet angel Gabriel Hunter was born on December 18, 2015.
Now, fast forward two years. I met my amazing husband Karl, we bought our first home, he has adopted my other children, including Gabriel, of course, and in 2020, we just had our own little bundle of Joy, Karleigh.
I have seen the work the Lord has done in my life by choosing Him and by choosing life for my son. Had I done it the other way (abortion), I know my life would not be where it is now. After seeing all that Love Life does for people like me, I signed up about a month ago to start training to become a sidewalk counselor. Also, I am currently in my 4th semester of college. I will hopefully be transferring to Greenville Tech next fall to pursue a sonography degree. Once I graduate, I hope to help volunteer on the mobile ultrasound unit!
One thing I have heard from the people who support abortion is the sidewalk counselors get you to keep the baby and never speak to you again. WELL, I’M HERE TO SAY THAT IS NOT TRUE! They have been in my life since day 1! Now, seven years later, they still ask if we need anything. They are still connected to me, and if I ever need anything, they are there!
This is why I want to join them! I would love to help people like me come to the Lord and help them choose life. I have been in their shoes. I know what it’s like to feel desperate and alone. I know what it’s like feeling like nothing is ever going to get better. Well, I’m here to assure you it can and will get better. I hope and pray that by volunteering, people will hear my testimony and choose God’s path as well! He WILL provide!
I leave you with a Bible verse that helped me through my most difficult times.
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6)