Keeping in touch.....

One of the special things about the ministry is how we can keep in touch with moms. This is not done alot in many Taiwan agencies, mostly Christian ones do, but  not government or other private agencies. Recently I have been amazed at how many moms really do keep in touch with us, continuing to ask for pictures of their child and how things are going.

This month alone, I have had at least 7 moms ask for pictures. Moms that are in jail, moms that are working hard, moms that are caring for other children and moms that are moving on with their lives. We have always told our moms that they need to contact us for pictures. We don't contact them. Why? Some moms are getting over the wounds of choosing adoption, some moms keep up for a year or two and then taper off. There are some moms who families don't want them to have any news, and there are some whose families ask.

There are specific times that normally we see moms asking for pictures. Around the child's birthday and Chinese New Year. There are occassionally the ones who ask around Mother's Day, but the first two are the more common times. These days are special. Birthday's are very special to the moms. It is the day that they gave life to the child, pain of labor and the pain of what was to come, separation. Chinese New Year is the other because families all get together. Some may see others with little ones or family members may ask about the child. It is a special time, yet a bittersweet one as well.

We do our best and we so appreciate families that work hard to get pictures to the moms. We don't want the moms to have a heart that is like a donut, have a hole in the middle. We want to assure them the decision they made was the right one. They are told that the families have a place of honor for the mom in their family. Many adopting families will tell the mom that, that her picture is on their family wall, or that they pray for her every night. That is something that is very special for her. In Taiwan, among her family, she has been disrespected, neglected, yelled out, looked down upon. Now, a family that is adopting her child holds her up high, gives her a place in the family. What a difference!! What feelings flow when they hear that!!

This is another reason our ministry needs "angels" like you all!! It is not about just "saving a baby", not about adoption, but about lives. Saving the life of the unborn, yes, that is crucial, but saving the life of the mom!! This is not an easy part of her life, but at Morning Light she has a safe and stable environment to make her decision at, to be respected, to speak freely. This is the importance of our ministry. This decision she makes will affect her her entire life. It will affect future relationships and future parental skills.

Could you please consider being on of our "100 Angels"? Consider helping moms, helping us continue to help them?
www.morninglighttaiwan.org
look at the How to Help button

What do you do......

FIRST......we now have 5 Angels for our 100 Angel project...........we will be going til the end of January, so please do pray with us that we get the 100 Angels slots fully filled. We still need 95 Angels willing to give $20US a month to the ministry here. This will allow us to do our ministry with out having to think about the next bit of finances. It will help us keep serving moms like L, the one below:

When a mom sits there in front of you, and after telling her that she is a minor, she has to have her guardian (dad) to sign papers for anything.......
When the young mom is alone sitting in front of you......
When the mom is due soon, so you don't want to upset her.......
When she just sighs, drops her shoulders and looks like she is about to burst into tears........

PRAY.PRAY.PRAY

That is what you do.

This is what happened yesterday. This momma, L, just showed up. I had talked to her on the phone previously, and so as I was about to go to lunch, she just was at the door.

Her boyfriend was too scared I guess and sat on the scooter outside the door while L came in. I took her to our counseling room. And we talked. About alot of things. Her parents are divorced and dad remarried, stepmom has different ideas than her. She moved out of the house to live with her boyfriend when she was 17 yr old, and her sister has recently done the same.

To her, the thought of telling her dad she is pregnant is absolutely terrifying. Verbal abuse it seems was very prevelant in the house. He doesn't approve of boyfriend. Why don't they get married? In Taiwan, if you are under 20 yrs old, you have to have guardian approval to get married.

So, yesterday, as I sat with L, we had many quiet times. She didn't hear what she wanted, that all will be ok and all will live happily ever after. She was thinking of every possible trick and plan to keep her dad from finding out. We are supposed to talk again today about this too. Sometime today. When she is ready.

Welcome back!! A year in review......

     I cannot believe it has been almost exactly a year since I have written on this blog! I deeply apologize for this. Definetly not something to let go, communication with the world! I will try my best to recap somethings, but most of all,let you know what is going on.
  
     Last year at this time we were preparing to go on furlough. It had been 5 years since we had been back, a first trip for our 4 yr old (now 5yr old) little Anna Joy. We had a great time seeing so many adoptive families, friends, family, you name it. We were able to visit some great new churches, share in some and visit old supporting ones. Furlough is far from relaxing! Furlough is a time where, while catching up with family, it is a time where expectations are high for new support to keep the ministry going.

     While we had great love offerings that kept us going while in the USA, we still had to pay bills and ministry expenses in Taiwan. Unfortunately, our goal of $500US support was not made. So this puts us where we are now. Continuing to serve the Lord, and as that ministry grows, so do expenses.

    Now, anyone reading this KNOWS I absolutely do not like discussing money. It is just makes me feel BLAH! Really, who likes that type of thing? I always feel like we are begging for money, which we are NOT. In reality, we are putting the need out there to everyone and begging they pray with an open heart of how they can or will help the ministry in Taiwan. So, here we go.......

   As our NPO (Non Profit Organization that will be able to receive grants and help more in fundraising) is in the beginning stages,we have discussed this first option of "100 Angels". What this is a group of at least 100 people/families/groups/etc who pledge a minimum of $20US a month for at least a year (longer is awesome!!). Our current, very conservative budget is $2000US a month. So, we are looking for those who feel they are able to help us for a year. We sent out a letter to some families recently and have had one response so far. Looking forward to others though.

    What exactly does the money go to?

                                              

    Morning Light Crisis Pregnancy Center

 saving lives of the unborn and hearts of the moms

                                                Food Bank:having a Christian staff who cares
                                                 having staff to take boxes of food and clothing
                                                  to those in need

                                            Delivering Bags of Blessings to needy students
                                                  (teachers let us know of those in need)
                                            

                                             Working with the disadvantaged, single moms
                                                 moms who keep or place their children.

                                              Giving women in crisis pregnancy situation
                                              a healthy and secure place to make their decision
                                              knowing abortion is not their only choice.   

                                                Many disadvantaged and poor in our area
                                                            (home of a family we help)

                                                       Working with moms who fear they can't
                                                        care for their babies
                                                     To finding families who are waiting to love a baby
                                                    and give them a home..........
                                                    (same baby...at birth and 2 years later!)

                                                     

                                                 Being the hands and feet of Jesus

 

 

 

                                     Will you be an "angel"?  Will you help us keep helping
                                         others? Help us keep showing them the love
                                                  of Jesus Christ. Be an "angel."


Here is our stats so far for "100 Angels":


href="http://www.abcfundraising.com/thermometer/">Free Fundraising
Thermometer
from href="http://www.abcfundraising.com">ABC Fundraising

Free Fundraising Thermometer
from ABC Fundraising
                               

What do you do?

The other day our office got a phone call. It was a suprising phone call because we rarely get one, from a soon to be dad. But this wasn't just any other dad, he was a 19 year old student, calling for his 18 year old girlfriend.

Somehow, she has made it to 40 weeks without any teachers or parents knowing. This does cause concern for me as you wonder if she has been eating properly and taking care of herself. My heart ached as I talked to him when he called the second time.

Young daddy comes from an ok family, both parents are around, still married. Momma comes from a single parent (mom) family and they struggle to make ends meet, had to take out a loan for school. They go to night school and one works during the day. I do admire this strong young man and hope I can meet him and give him a hug. He has taken her to every prenatal check up and sounds like he is taking good care of her. They had seen Morning Light information on the web and realized that abortion should NEVER be an option. But now, at 40 weeks pregnant, what was their option?

In their mind, it was all planned out . "Well", he said in a very matter of fact voice, "if we come down tomorrow night and she is induced, stays the weekend and then we come back to our area on Monday." Meaning, they would "be absent from school" on Monday and then continue on with school the rest of the week like nothing happened. After all, no one knows.

Sounds like a perfect plan, and in all honestly, I can tell they really thought about it. I can also tell they are scared and not sure what else to do. So, when I had to burst his bubble, I felt awful. I unfortunately had to tell him "Have you told her parents or yours?" "Uh, no." "Well, you both are minors until age 20yr old, and the hospital can't just deliver a baby and not tell the guardian. Even if they could, what about afterwards?" You could almost tell the fear of telling the parents in his voice. "Do we have to?" I kindly, in the most comforting voice I could, "yes, it is best and really that is the only way you can get things done. I suggest you let her mom know, it is safest for all of you. You can tell her our phone number and we can talk to her to let her know we are legit. But you need to tell her parents."

By law, we could get into mega trouble if we took her in and all. Then the grandma is still guardian of baby til momma is 20yr old (unlike the USA way). The young daddy's answer was "ok, I see" and that was it.

All last night I was thinking, "Lord please, please,please don't let me see news of an abandoned baby in xx county."  My heart is so concerned that that might happen, because it has happened way to many times. The laws, while trying to protect, too many times hurt many lives here.

Our prayers this weekend are that we can reach out to help this young couple. Prayers that they can come out and tell their parents the situation and the reprecussions are not as they dream.

Lord, help us to be able to help this young couple.  Give us wisdom and understanding as to what to do for them. Lord, each and every life is precious in YOUR sight. Show them YOUR way!! Wrap YOUR arms of love and care around them, around their hearts. Protect this little life soon to be delivered Lord!!

Bottles for Change

 

This is an opportunity for you, your family, your youth group, school class, college class, home school coop, etc. to get involved in helping out Morning Light Crisis Pregnancy Center.

Easy to do:

1.     Get a baby bottle of your choice.

2.     Each day, put in spare change or any amount of money you want.

3.     When the bottles are filled, count it out and take it to the bank.

4.     You may write out a check or hit the donate button on our blog:

                     www.panfamtaiwan.blogspot.com

 

THEN you can redo itJ Easy. Simple. Fast and great way to support a ministry reaching out to moms in need.

Taiwan has an abortion rate of 300,000 – 500,000 a year! That is double the live birth rate. Morning Light CPC is working with moms in need, moms in an unplanned pregnancy situation as well as moms who keep their babies. Through your support in the Bottle for Change program, you can help keep us going.

If there are any questions, please feel free to contact me at: deanapan@yahoo.com

 

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

1st: Morning Light Women's Meeting

Yesterday, October 2 was the first meeting for our associations Single Moms group. It should have been the third meeting, but man, Satan just works so hard. AND it ended up being that I couldn't even attend due to an emergency need 3hrs away! Thankfully Alexia and a missionary lady helped out.



Originally I had the name :Moms Rest Stop (though literally translated it was Mom's Gas Station!!LOL!). My intention was a time for single mommas to get together, learn about baking, relax, share a devotion and pray with them. That was the plan. Unfortunately, I wasn't there, but the rest they followed the plan. But what else happened? They baked, they laughed, they shared, Alexia led the devotion, they prayed, they talked, they came away happy. They have their own name:-) "Morning Light Women's Heart" . A place where they can share their heart without reprecussions.

    



Something also came to light that I NEVER NEVER thought about, and shows how important learning about the people serve is. Too many places make titles of their activities to show who they are serving, understood. But these 4 mommas said they loved the title. Why? It didn't single them out as single moms. Our title never mentioned "Single momma's Rest Stop Activity." They said that they know they are single moms, why broadcast it?! Activities they go, they all have a group picture in front of the sign that says "X X activity for Single Moms". Has anyone ever stopped to see what they think?

                                                      

Societies everywhere have an opinion of single moms, single dad and children of single parent families. Admit it.....you as my readers do too. Poor mom, was there abuse? Poor children not growing up in a "normal" family. Poor children don't have much of a future. No wonder they do bad in school, from single parent family. Oh, I have heard these excuses alot.


This activity made me realize even more,our ministries are getting to know the real person. Not putting it down on a paper to show to someone that we had so many activities and had so many people come. Has anyone asked the attenders their feelings? Has anyone asked the outcome?



Our mommas have invited more to come next week. I am trying to limit the class and who knows, we may have to offer more in the future. Next week they learn about decorating cakes and cupcakes. They are so excited. They are doing something that they can take back and give their kids. Who knows, we may even get a small business started.



Either way, relationships are being made. Seeds of God's love are being sowed. These mommas are being made to feel they are someone, and not just "single moms".

 

  

I gotta admit.....

Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness."

 

I am a bit exhausted this Friday afternoon. Things are going well, and when things go well you easily let your guard down. And it is right at that time that Satan SWOOPS down and BAMs you down.

See we are working on somethings for the daycare as well as an upcoming event. This event is a first event for us and another Christian association. This event, Walk for Life, honestly has never happened in our part of Taiwan. OF COURSE Satan wants to keep us preoccupied with disgruntled people and with things that aren't really of importance. This ministry is a big spiritual battle ground. Battling for lives, not just the lives of future children, but lives for mommas and dads whose life could be drastically changed for the worse due an abortion.



Let's face it folks, Satan just doesn't want that to happen. This afternoon I received a phone call from a former momma whose children are in the adoption process. Due to some circumstances, she was able to see them and the adoptive family of her older child. Yes, three children, all being adopted and by the same family. The mom called me saying thru tears she was thinking of her baby boy and wanting him back. This mom has been traveling alot to get to meet family and kids that she has never ever taken care of, she is exhausted, she is tired of her life and the way it is going. But she is a mom who saw her son for the first time in 8 months. She saw how cute he is, how easy going he is, his smiles and babbling, smelled his baby smell. Now she wants him back. She saw him in the arms of a momma who has loved him from far away. Birth mom wants him back.

 



Do I have time to deal with this knowing it is part of the grieving process? No, but I will make time cause that is the ministry here. There is no putting in the schedule "counseling for crisis", that doesn't even make sense. Crisis happens anytime and anywhere, so counseling needs to be right there. What do I say? My heart says alot of things I cannot mention here, but I also ask her "you work late night shifts in a pub. Who will watch your baby? You barely make enough to eat and live on, baby's needs?" This is not pushing her to NOT want her baby back, but at times reminding them of reality and why they made the decision in the first place. If a mom has changed dramatically and stable, you know what? I would ask the same questions and see her response.



I don't know why I am writing all this. Today, this week has just been exhausting. I might do alot, but I am human too, just like the rest of you.Today, I am tired. I admit it. I am not defeated. Nope.



Joshua 1:9 "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

Day 12: 9/12/2012

Today is Day 12 of Pray for Taiwan Abortion Month.

This is serious folks. Taiwan doesn't have the counselor sidewalks, the protests, the issues. So often crisis pregnancy centers often get weird looks, criticized and told we go overboard. It is nothing for government social workers to say "if the mom is poor or single and pregnant, I will help her set up an abortion, we don't need any more problems." Yeah....well, you can imagine how that set with me!!

 

Today, pray for the few crisis pregnancy centers in Taiwan. There are, including us, 5 that we are sure of. That is for a population of 23 million +. That is 5 crisis pregnancy centers for the 300,000-500,000 abortions a year in Taiwan. Wow! That gives me heart palpitations!!!



---------------------------------------------------------
Lord, today we especially pray for the 5 CPCs in Taiwan. The abortion numbers are heartbreaking, and the workers work so hard.
Lord, we pray that each center will not be discouraged as they face opposition from client's families, opposition from clinics and social workers. Lord, give each CPC the strength and endurance to keep fighting the good fight.
Lord, as the CPC workers minister to each momma that calls or comes thru their doors, give the workers wisdom, boldness and clarity of thought. Give them words to say and let them allow YOU to speak thru them.
Lord, we know YOU make no mistakes, we know YOU have put everyone on this path for YOUR purpose.
Lord, thank you for the CPCs in Taiwan that they have stepped out and respected life and are working to teach others and help others. Thank you they have obeyed the call to this mission field.

In the Precious Name of our Savior Jesus Christ,
AMEN!

This is from Monday:

Today is 9/10/2012
Day 10 for Prayers for Abortion Month in Taiwan
Pray for hospital and clinic workers.

Lord, we take this time to pray for hospital workers and clinic workers around the island of Taiwan.
...

These workers are the first ones to hear of the situations momma's are in and are often the ones who can share resources.
Lord, we pray that these workers will be bold and brave and encourage momma's to not abort. We pray that they will show resources available to mommas and talk and comfort them.
Lord, give the workers wisdom as they deal with scared mommas. Lord we know you hear our prayers.
AMEN!

 

 

Abortion Month Prayers

This month I decided to something different, hence all the Facebook posts you will see. Since September is known as Abortion Month, I have been burdened to ask others to pray with us this month for abortions. Prayers will be for students, parents, mommas, dads, doctors, teachers, centers, post abortion syndrome and all.

 

 

When I did my thesis on the beginnings of Morning Light Home, I had come across this:
"A study using questionnaires through personal interviews was conducted on more than seventeen thousand women who at tended a family planning service in Taipei metropolitan areas between 1991 and 1992. The reproductive history and sexual behaviour of the subjects were especially focused on during the interviews. Preliminary findings showed that 46% of the women had a his tory of having had an induced abortion. Among them, 54.8% had had one abortion, 29.7% had had two, and 15.5% had had three or more. The abortion ratio was 379 induced abortions per 1,000 live births and 255 per 1,000 pregnancies. The abortion ratio was highest for women younger than 20 years of age, for aboriginal women and for nulliparous women."

And this:"Sex-selective abortions in Taiwan create a serious gender imbalance, which is second only to that of China. Between 2004 and 2010, the Taiwanese gender ratio at birth was between 108 and 112 boys for every 100 girls, compared to the worldwide average ratio of around 106 males to 100 females. The government estimated that there were around 3,000 ‘missing’ female babies each year.
 
It is estimated that there are more than 300,000 abortions annually in Taiwan, a country whose population is only 23 million. Like in China, India and Pakistan, sex-selective abortions are common because male children are traditionally valued more highly than females. The Taiwanese government now wants to make the practice impossible by preventing doctors from gender screening of foetuses."

Sad, so sad. This was said about Taiwan and post abortion issues: " In Taiwan, aborted children are considered “spirit babies” who will return to haunt their parents, disturbing their sleep with special cries, ruining business deals, souring love affairs, and prompting suicides unless prayers are offered for them in the temples." (The Standard. “The Spirit Babies: Fighting Ghosts of Aborted Infants,” July 6, 1990, p 18.)

As I write this, I think of a client we had. She didn't want to abort. Alexia spent lots of time on the phone, texting, talking and praying with her. This momma was 28years old, so not like a teenager in school (not that that is a reason to abort). Her family came down from the north to find her and take her to get an abortion. We counseled, tell the dr you do not want an abortion, no one can force you. She did, and she called us and they helped her escape out the side door to Alexia and Wuli who were waiting with a car. As they drove her around talking to this angry and scared young woman, MLH staff received a phone call. The gov't social worker called and said MLH had to give the woman up to another organization. Her family it turns out called someone they knew in the gov't and made up something against us. We could only do what we were told, and the momma agreed to as she didn't want to cause problems for us she said. Later, Alexia recieved an instant message from the momma saying she had the abortion, regrets it so much, but she had no choice.

NO CHOICE! that is why we are here people..............the DO HAVE A CHOICE!!! goodness, she is 28 years old, SHE HAS A CHOICE!! Her family made her have an abortion, but what is she doing now? can she sleep? can she eat? is she suicidal? depressed? introvert? lonely? what is she going thru?

PRAY! Pray with us that we can reach more like this. We are looking to do a billboard, but we have to see what is in our budget and if we can. Please pray we can!!

Pray for abortion month in Taiwan