“Mercy and Truth are met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” Psalm 85:10
In Jesus, perfect truth and perfect mercy have come together and I seek to model this ministry after Him. Truth is proclaimed at the abortion clinics and mercy is expressed to the moms through the showers.
Friends of Life,
Summer greetings to you all! We’ve been baking in the Carolinas and ministry work has been cooking, too. I’ll get right to recounting God’s victories, starting with babies born, because that’s always the BEST news! I’m way behind in reporting to you, as usual, so I have to back up quite a bit. Stay with me.
1) As you already know, Niosha had her boy/girl twins on June 23 at just 27-weeks gestation. This was exactly 13 weeks early. I sent you urgent requests to pray and God has moved mightily. Jerrell, the boy, weighed 2lb 3.9oz at birth and Justice, the girl, weighed 1lb 13oz. They both had breathing and apnea issues and they also both had holes in their hearts. Thankfully, the holes have healed without surgery! God is so good. They are both breathing now completely on their own and the apnea issues have resolved. Neither of them has any tubes remaining, except for feeding tubes in their noses. They are both taking one bottle of pumped breast milk a day and the rest of their nutrition is through those feeding tubes. Prayerfully, they will gradually move up to more and more bottle feedings as their strength and stamina improve. Amazingly, they have both been moved up a level of care to the “Progressive NICU”. This is a transition towards leaving the hospital in late September at their due date, Sept. 23. Now at 6 weeks, they have almost doubled their birth weight. Jerrell weighs 4lb 5oz and Justice weighs 3lb 4oz.
Preliminary vision tests had good results, but further tests will be done. Niosha reports that they respond to her voice, so their hearing must be good, too. What a relief! They will have an official hearing test before discharge. God has done wonderful things for them all, from sparing them once from abortion and now sparing them again. Rejoice!
Niosha gets to the hospital most days to see them, but it’s challenging with 3 little ones at home and no car. Jerrell, the dad, takes her there as much as possible. Also, they are seriously contemplating getting married — pray for God’s will to be done.
Katherine Hearn, who met Niosha at the Hebron abortion clinic, and I had Niosha’s shower June 30. Katherine generously handled all the food for the large group, while I brought all the gifts. You might remember that the original shower day was set for the day she delivered via emergency c-section. Niosha’s mom had come from NY when the babies were born and we wanted to be able to include her. It was a sweet time. Niosha wept at the bounty God provided through you all. She was truly overwhelmed with the lavish abundance. The gifts did exactly what I wanted them to do: express God’s incredible love, provision, mercy and care for Niosha. I always tell the moms, “When you see all these gifts, please see Jesus’s love and mercy for you.” Truly, it’s an eyeful to behold. God’s love is on epic display. She was amazed. This always opens the door for the gospel to be presented.
Because of the Madeira family’s gift, I was able to provide her a beautiful, gently-used, deluxe twin stroller with 2 matching car seats that can attach and make a travel system/combo. Because of all of your generous giving, she also received a crib, mattress, bedding set, nursery decor set with lamp, 2 matching highchairs, swing, exersaucer, bouncy seat, 2 baby bathtubs, bottles, bibs, blankets, toys, diapers, wipes, toiletries, diaper bag, 2-years of clothing for each baby and more. With her mom, her sister, and her aunt and lots of children in attendance, the testimony of God’s love and provision spoke widely.
Niosha wants to thank each of you for the gifts and especially the prayers you prayed on her and her babies’ behalf. Here is a picture from her shower as she displays some pink and blue booties. Also, posted are some current ones of the babies.
2) Moving along with the news, Alexxis delivered her baby boy June 28. Aayden weighed 6lb 10oz and was 20″ long. The talented and generous doctors at Northgate Family Medicine cared for Alexxis and her baby; Dr. Owen delivered. You might remember from my last email, when I reported on her shower, that her son SURVIVED an abortion. She went to the Latrobe abortion clinic at 15 weeks, paid, had the procedure and went home thinking it was over. Weeks later she was having curious symptoms and went back to the clinic. They did an ultrasound and told her she was still pregnant. They admitted no error and accepted no liability. They told her she must have been pregnant with twins and they *missed* one. Missing a 15-week twin in an ultrasound seems impossible to do, but they admitted no negligence. I hope you are tracking with me just how incompetent these people are. They told her they would be happy to abort this now 19-week baby for $1200, minus the original $500 fee for the earlier 15-week abortion. Her new total would be $700. Thankfully, Alexxis had had enough of them and declined their offer. She left and sought help from Jenny Starnes, sidewalk counselor and Cities 4 Life board member. Jenny has been a great source of guidance, help and counsel for Alexxis, nurturing her along the way. Truth & Mercy showered her last May, with your help, and Jenny and I had a great conversation with her about the Lord and sexual purity. Many seeds were planted and they continue to be watered.
I am firmly of the opinion that they failed to kill this one, single baby boy, now named Aayden. The doctors from Northgate have confirmed this view, saying there was no evidence of a twin. Miraculously, God protected Aayden and here he is for all to now see. Rejoice that this life was spared from the clutches of Satan.
3) My next shower was for Ciera, who is expecting a girl, Caylee, September 18. Justin Edwards, a relative newcomer to the abortion clinic sidewalks, met Ciera, a 22-year old, at the Latrobe clinic. She was pursuing abortion but when she found out she was almost 22 weeks pregnant, she chose life. She turned down their suggestion to go to Atlanta for an even later-term abortion. (Latrobe kills babies up to 20 weeks and refers moms to an Atlanta clinic after that.) Instead, Ciera came outside and talked with Justin, who put her in contact with Lisa Metzger, who put her in contact with me. Lisa couldn’t make the shower because of her own high risk pregnancy situation, so Rebekah Down went with me to Clover, SC. Rebekah was a great partner to work with and we had a divine opportunity to speak with both Ciera and her mother about the Lord and His Gospel over a delicious dinner. The gifts you graciously provided opened the door for that glorious conversation. Ciera, like all the moms, was lavishly showered with everything from bibs to cribs!
Here’s a photo of Ciera, a beautiful young lady.
4) Next, I showered Erika, a young mom Katherine Hearn met back in March at the Hebron clinic. (No doubt you realize that Katherine is a fruitful sidewalk counselor!) Erika is expecting a boy, to be named Kingston, on October 13. Erika’s circumstances are difficult, but I know God is at work. She’s currently in a program to obtain her Certified Nursing Associate status. Her housing situation is challenging and her adoptive mom is demonstrating some *tough love* towards her. Erika is now staying at the Sisters of Mercy and will be there until January, when her mom will help her get a place. Pray that God gets hold of her heart during this trial. I discern that this will be good for her in the long run if she submits to God’s purifying work. Over dinner and after she received her gifts, Katherine and I had a God-given opportunity to share the Gospel with her. Again, it’s the gifts that open this door. She was very moved by the abundance and quality of the baby gifts — everything from cribs to bibs!
Here’s a photo of Erika.
5) Robbie’s shower was next on July 12. Robbie met Chrissy, a sidewalk counselor at the Latrobe clinic, and asked Lisa Metzger to handle the follow-up. A week later, Lisa got Robbie an ultrasound with the Mobile Ultrasound RV unit from the Monroe HELP Pregnancy Center. They regularly come out to the Latrobe clinic and offer free sonograms to moms going in the abortion clinic. Many lives have been saved through their ministry. Robbie’s choice for life was solidified after viewing her baby on the screen and hearing of all the help available for her, including the showers by Truth & Mercy. Her own life is a trail of tears: abuse, neglect, foster care, etc. She’s also a Hurricane Katrina refugee from Louisiana. She has adopted her younger half-brother and takes responsibility for him so that he won’t have to endure foster care like she did. She even offers housing and care to her own mother, who neglected her as a child. She’s been on her own since her “emancipation from foster care” at age 17. She’s a giving, compassionate 27-year old woman and has 3 other children.
Joyfully, she received all the wonderful Truth & Mercy baby gifts from YOU! She is thankful. Jeannette Wilson went to the shower with me, standing in for Lisa, who was on bed rest with her own risky pregnancy. (Lisa has now delivered a baby girl and all is well!) Jeannette is a spiritually gifted woman and I love working with her. We complement each other’s witnessing style well. We shared the gospel and God’s plan of sexual purity with Robbie over dinner. Like most, she had a faulty understanding of the plan of salvation. Prayerfully, the seeds we sowed will take root in her heart. I am confident that God is drawing her to Himself. Take heart, like all the moms I shower, she both heard the Gospel in word and experienced the Gospel in deed.
Here’s a photo of Robbie, who is expecting a boy November 6.
6) On August 4, Lisa Metzger and Vanessa Zampano traveled to Hickory, NC near the mountains, and delivered all the shower gifts I put together for Danae, who is expecting a boy September 17. I am so grateful for their willingness to do the legwork on this one; it was extremely helpful to me. Christian sidewalk ministers Lisa, Vanessa, and Andrea Hines met teenage Danae, her mom and her dad (who are not married) at the Latrobe clinic. God used the different witnesses of all 3 ladies to save this little baby, who is now eagerly welcomed and loved. Danae is young, only 15. Her mom has been supportive all along and didn’t want her to abort. Her dad was pressuring her, saying she would “ruin her life with a baby”. God created confusion in the ranks at the clinic and they left thinking she was too far along at 17 weeks. This clinic aborts to 20 weeks, so this was inaccurate. We think their ultrasound technician is under intense conviction from the Lord. Of late, she has shown several moms the ultrasound screen, which is completely against their policy. A woman who sees her baby will likely NOT abort, so the clinic never wants the moms to see the screen. She will be fired soon, if she keeps this up. Alternatively, she might have given them false information about the 20 week limit. Regardless, it’s a miracle this child lives. The shower went well and the Gospel presentation was clear. Here is a picture of Danae.
I have 7 more showers lined up:
Gwen, expecting a boy 9.5.12
Emilia, expecting a boy 9.23.12
Nashalee, expecting a girl 10.10.12
Brittany, expecting a boy 10.14.12
Sade, due in November
Charmaine, due in January
Mayra, due in January
Now, I must appeal to you for urgent help. I’ve been inundated with showers this summer and they have depleted my supplies. I do about 30 showers a year, so you can imagine what a tremendous quantity of baby gear I go through. The clothing has been hit especially hard. I give 2-years worth of clothing to most moms, supplying about 12 outfits in each size for the appropriate season the baby will be wearing at the time. I am in critical need all sizes of clothing 0-24 months, in all seasons, for both genders, but especially boys. (Now is a great time to hit clearance sales on summer clothing.)
For bigger items, I have a new, easy way for you to support the ministry. I’ve created a Baby Registry at www.Walmart.com. You can make purchases online and have most items delivered FREE to my store on Thunder Rd in Concord, NC. It’s very simple.
There is currently an exceptional deal on a crib valued at $239, priced now at $119. I don’t know how long the deal will last, though. Also registered are: crib mattresses, car seat/stroller combos, pack-n-plays, swings, bouncy seats, cases of diapers and wipes, healthcare kits (thermometer, nasal aspirator, nail clippers, medicine dropper), hooded towels, and diaper bags. I REALLY need diaper bags right now. The one I selected is $13, but any diaper bag will suffice.
If you’d rather give a different item or brand on any item, feel free to do so. You usually can’t purchase smaller items online (solid color crib sheets, toiletry items, bottles, pacifiers, bibs, blankets, onesies, etc.), but you can buy them in a store and ship them to me, if you like. As always, I also am thrilled to receive gently used, clean items.
The registry is listed under my name: Sheryl Chandler from Charlotte NC. You might be able to also find it under Truth and Mercy Prolife Ministries, but usually they want a first and last name.
Alternatively, you can also donate by mailing a check to Truth & Mercy at 4803 Crownvista Drive, Charlotte NC 28269 or using PayPal here. Please remember that donations are NOT tax deductible, unfortunately.
Please remember I am critically low on clothing, all seasons, in all sizes 0-24 months. I’ve never been this low in 23 years of ministry. Future showers are in serious jeopardy.
May I extend some personal words of thanks?
Thanks to Cindy Holleman, who continues to faithfully and expertly manage all the clothing! She has heroically served!
Thanks to Danielle Berthelot and her mom, Kelly, for making lots of adorable diaper cakes lately to give the moms! What a precious, heart-warming gift!
Thanks to the Madiera family for the twin stroller/car seats gift for Niosha. She was blessed…as was I.
Thanks to Mary Benton, Dena Nilsen and Lisa DeCoste who have been cleaning some donations for me. What a huge help!
Thanks to my family: Doug, Bethany and Nathan, for the countless ways they serve and sacrifice for the Kingdom.
Thanks to all the front-line warriors at the abortion clinics who pray and proclaim. You guys are storing up serious treasures in heaven.
Thanks to ALL who faithfully and sacrificially equip me for the work of the ministry. I couldn’t do it without you.
For His glory, fame and renown,
Sheryl Chandler