European Summit - Engaging the Media
When a media request comes into your organization's inbox, how do you respond?
As an organization, you should have a media plan in place in order to guide you in both nurturing new media relationships and having a rapid response plan for times of negative press. Join Heartbeat International and Alliance Defending Freedom International as we discuss how to engage the media.
Date: 22 October 2020
Time: 12:45-16:15 GMT+2
Where: At Your Computer (details will be sent upon registration)
Presented by: Heartbeat International and Alliance Defending Freedom International
This forum is exclusive for Heartbeat International affiliates. There is no cost to attend, but you must register as space is limited.
If you are not a Heartbeat Affiliate and are interested in learning more about joining Heartbeat International's Pregnancy Help Network, click here.
European Forum - Presenters
Andreas Thonhauser serves as director of external relations for ADF International, where he is responsible for building the organization’s media presence, forming alliances with key influencers and supporters. He acts as communications liaison with ADF International’s distinguished team of allied attorneys and organizational partners, managing all aspects of public relations and development Thonhauser has spoken at institutions like the UN, the EU Parliament, and international conferences and provided comment on topics like the persecution of religious minorities, parental rights, and freedom of education for international media outlets, including both popular news publications as well as scholarly journals. He regularly provides trainings in communication strategy, leadership, reputation and social media management. Thonhauser earned an MBA from the WU Executive Academy and a Master’s degree in German Philology/Anglistics and Americanistics from the University of Vienna. Prior to joining ADF International in 2015, Thonhauser worked for a European publishing house where he focused on strategy and business development.
Pastor Woody was raised on a dairy farm in Brunswick, Maine as a Quaker. While stationed in Germany with the Air Force, he was introduced to the Gospel in a personal way, and trusted Christ in 1978. He has now pastored two churches; both of them in Germany, and both of them ministering primarily to the American military community.
Since 1997, he has been involved with the ministry of the Kaiserslautern Crisis Pregnancy Center as a board member. In order to minister to a wider community, the center was renamed Heartbeat Crisis Pregnancy Center and was moved to the city of Ramstein, where Pastor Woody has been privileged to serve as board chairman since 2008.
Ellen Foell, Esq. has been with Heartbeat International since 2012 serving first as legal counsel and now as the International Specialist. She supports the leadership team in providing research and advice on pro-life trends and issues affecting Heartbeat International and its affiliates. Her work also involves general business, organizational and nonprofit issues, as well as interfacing with other pro-life organizations and attorneys who desire to assist pro-life organizations.
Ellen is a 1982 graduate from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. She has lived overseas as a missionary in Thailand, has practiced as a law clerk, associate in a law firm, and as an associate corporate counsel. She left law firm practice to begin her work in the pro-life movement in 1989 as a defense attorney for pro-life activists. She and her husband, Phil, have four children, Deborah, Anna, Sam and Paul. Her passion is teaching the Bible and working with international students on the Ohio State campus.
Jor-El Godsey serves as President of Heartbeat International, the largest affiliation network of pregnancy help organizations in the world. Jor-El leads a staff dedicated to equipping, empowering, and encouraging the thousands of leaders serving in Heartbeat affiliated life-affirming pregnancy help centers, maternity homes, and adoption services, in the U.S. and on every inhabited continent. Jor-El oversees Heartbeat’s core mission to reach and rescue lives at-risk for abortion through far-reaching programs that include Option Line and Abortion Pill Rescue Network
Considering an International Affiliation with Heartbeat International?
Thank you for your interest in affiliating with Heartbeat International. By joining Heartbeat, you join the largest pregnancy help network in the world with more than 2,800 organizations in over 60 countries.
Affiliation for international organizations is just $70.00, and we are happy to offer you a complimentary affiliation for the first year. Whether you are a first time affiliate, or a second or fifth time affiliate you may email efoell@heartbeatinternational.
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Your affiliation provides you with a 20% discount on all resources found in the Store as well as online courses offered in the Heartbeat Academy.
We offer leadership and development resources, in addition to a variety of other key training materials pertinent to your work. We also help to fund the regional organizations that offer direct training and assistance to individual life-affirming organizations.
>> Click here to Affiliate <<
Thank you again for your heart to serve, to reach and rescue women and their children. It is my pleasure to serve you.
Recommended Affiliate Resources Recommended to All Pregnancy Help Organizations
- View benefits of affiliation
- Our Commitment of Care and Competence
- Heartbeat’s Center Defense Toolkit
- Raising the Standard free course for affiliates
- Identifying Fake Clients
- Defending Your Online Reputation
- Free Publications
- Complimentary materials
- Free eNewslettersincluding articles such as Dealing with COVID Fatigue
- Heartbeat Academy
Courage at the 2022 European Pregnancy Help Leaders Summit
by Andrea Trudden, Vice President of Communications & Marketing
Heartbeat International
Walking through busy streets. Sleeping at a hotel with music playing in the hall. The 2022 European Pregnancy Help Leaders Summit was a very different environment from the sirens and chaos the Save a Life pregnancy help team left in Ukraine.
Alina was 39 weeks pregnant when the war started. Now, her very life was at risk and the reality that her husband could be sent to fight in the war increased the stress.
A pregnancy center director of the Zaporizhzhia Save a Life location, she knows the pressures when faced with an unexpected pregnancy. Add a war to the typical pressures a woman has in that delicate moment of her life, and Alina knew that pregnancy centers in Ukraine would be needed during wartime. And so, her work continued after being displaced from her home in Zaporizhzhia.
In the midst of the war sirens and vibrations from the blasts, Alina gave birth to her son, Mark, in a make-shift bomb shelter. It was humbling, and a great reminder of the beauty of life. This little baby boy brought a light of joy in a moment of darkness.
With her new baby, her two-year-old daughter, and husband, Alina moved West toward safety. Here, she sought out a pregnancy center to continue serving women who sought pregnancy help. Her newborn baby by her side, Alina started meeting with women — some local, some displaced from the southeastern and eastern parts of the country — to provide compassionate care and a listening ear as they discussed their futures.
She humbly told us, “Please don’t think I’m a hero. I’m not a hero. And I’m not brave because I wanted to leave. I wanted to run for the sake of my children, but I would rather die than to disobey what God has called me to, which is to stay.”
Similarly, Alla, the national director, manages seven pregnancy centers throughout Ukraine. A widow with a sixteen year old and an eleven year old at home, Alla channels her hope and energy into the centers. Under her leadership, Save a Life centers have expanded across the nation.
She acknowledges that the loss of her husband to cancer when her children were young helped motivate her to get involved with pregnancy centers to be a pillar of support for women. Today, her children help by volunteering their time at the pregnancy centers as well, bringing them together in the work to save lives.
Nadia travels between Ukraine and the United States to help raise awareness for Save a Life. In August, they hosted their annual conference in spite of the war. With more than 100 in attendance, this was an encouragement that God is at work in Ukraine through pregnancy help.
Understanding the risk of travel at this time in Ukraine, these three women joined 17 other countries at Heartbeat International’s European Pregnancy Help Summit in Bucharest, Romania. At the summit, they were able to share their experience both in living in a war zone and in serving in a war zone. As many of the European nations are serving Ukrainian refugee women, the insight Nadia, Alla, and Alina provided was timely and meaningful.
This team of women was an example of courage and strength, once again showing the world that women are capable of being mothers and accomplishing the work they are called to.
Heartbeat speaks at the United Nations on the importance of the Geneva Consensus Declaration
Heartbeat International joined the Center for Family and Human Rights, Asociacion La Familia Importa, The Global Center for Human Rights, and The Institute for Women’s Health in a panel at the United Nations during the sixty-seventh session of the Commission on the Status of Women on “How Embracing the Geneva Consensus Declaration Advances the Well-being of Families, Women and Girls.”
International Program Specialist, Ellen Foell, had the opportunity to speak at the #CSW67 side event on March 10, 2023, at the United Nations to support the Geneva Consensus Declaration and share how pregnancy help worldwide provides women with care and support, helping them and their families thrive so that no woman feels abortion is her only option. Heartbeat joined life-affirming organizations in support of the GCD.
Apply to be an International Sister Center (U.S.)
What It Means to Be a Sister Center
What It Means to Be a Sister Center
Becoming a Sister Center is a meaningful opportunity to serve as a mentor, encourager, and global partner in the life-affirming work of pregnancy help. Through the Sister Center Program, you will be paired with an international counterpart — a center that is eager to grow, learn, and be inspired by your experience and wisdom.
As a Sister Center, you will participate in monthly calls that provide a rich space for connection, collaboration, and prayer. These conversations are a chance to:
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Pray together — lifting one another up in faith, and interceding for clients, staff, and the communities you serve.
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Gain a deeper understanding of how pregnancy help is being carried out in different parts of the world, learning from each other’s unique challenges and victories.
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Share ideas and encouragement on reaching clients and potential clients with compassion, creativity, and excellence.
This partnership is not about financial giving — it’s about investing your time, heart, and experience into a relationship that builds up another center and strengthens the global pregnancy help movement. It’s about standing shoulder-to-shoulder, across countries and cultures, united by a common mission: to affirm life and walk alongside women with hope.
You have something to give — your leadership, your lessons, your love.
Join the Sister Center Program and make a lasting impact in a fellow center’s journey.
Apply to be an International Sister Center
What It Means to Be a Sister Center
Becoming a Sister Center is a unique and uplifting opportunity to receive encouragement, guidance, and friendship from an experienced pregnancy help center in another part of the world. Through the Sister Center Program, your center will be paired with a supportive international mentor who is eager to walk alongside you as you grow in your life-affirming mission.
As a Sister Center, you’ll take part in monthly calls that offer a safe and welcoming space to connect, pray, and learn together. These conversations are an opportunity to:
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Pray together — uniting in faith to lift up each other’s needs, your clients, your team, and your community.
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Gain insight and encouragement — by learning from your Sister Center’s experiences and discovering new ways to approach challenges in your local context.
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Share your journey — exchanging stories, ideas, and strategies that help you serve women and families with compassion and excellence.
This relationship is not focused on financial support, but on something even more powerful — shared time, wisdom, and mutual encouragement. It’s a chance to grow stronger through friendship, to be inspired, and to know you are not alone in this work.
You are part of a global movement — and your Sister Center is here to walk beside you.
Join the Sister Center Program and take the next step in your center’s journey with support, connection, and hope.
My Love/Hate Relationship With Instagram
by Ellen Foell, International Program Specialist of Heartbeat International
I have a confession to make: I am a baby boomer, born in 1957. That means I still use Facebook. I laugh at Facebook Reels and TikToks that my children send me but cannot create one. I use LinkedIn to get articles for free but usually do not respond when someone wants to connect. I text and I do not write in all caps—REALLY! Finally, being a boomer, I have an Instagram account—like 2 billion other people—but I don’t post regularly. In 2022, the typical Instagram user spent around 12 hours per month using the platform’s app, up from an average of 11.2 hours per month in 2021. I think I am maximizing my use of Instagram when I “like” or “heart” a post. End of confession.
I am aware of the power of Instagram, and that is probably why I have a love/hate relationship with the platform. I have issues with anything that has that much influence over people because I think of all the unsuspecting people who may have a regular, but uncritical, “diet” of what Instagram has to offer.
On the other hand, it is a great way to reach people; and that is why I started an Instagram account: to be where my children are. They are no longer on Facebook; they do not read my long emails detailing every aspect of daily life, and I think they only communicate on the phone because they know how Neanderthal I am. If I could carry a cave wall, I would totally send my children pictographs. So, if rule #1 of marketing is that we need to be where our clients are, then Instagram seems to be the place.
Instagram has 2 billion active users, making it one of the most popular social networks. That is a lot of people. Only TikTok, WhatsApp, and Facebook have more users.
According to a page on HubSpot dedicated to marketing on Instagram, “Instagram’s primary advantage over other social media platforms is its visual nature. If you have a business that benefits from the design of your product or if you have a service that has a visibly noticeable end result, Instagram is the best platform to showcase that content.
Video, imagery, and illustration are all great content fits for this social media platform, but your marketing strategy will ultimately determine what type of content to publish and how often to post it. Establishing a strategy before diving right into a new social media platform, no matter how well it works for everyone else’s business, will keep you focused on your goals and — most importantly — your audience.”
If the pregnancy help movement wants to reach young women, we cannot ignore the breadth and depth of reach Instagram has. If you look at Instagram's worldwide audience, you’ll find that Instagram users are almost equally split between males (51.6%) and females (48.4%). Worldwide, the largest group of females were those ages 25-34, making up 16.4%.
According to the Pew Research Center, “In the 46 states that reported data to the CDC in 2020, the majority of women who had abortions (57%) were in their 20s, while about three-in-ten (31%) were in their 30s. Teens ages 13 to 19 accounted for 8% of those who had abortions, while women in their 40s accounted for 4%.” Thus, 88% of women having abortions are in their 20’s and 30’s. And statistically, a lot of them are on Instagram.
I shop at almost the same places every week. When my children were small, I even went to the same checkout line if the cashier was friendly to my children. It wasn’t just that I liked the brand, I liked the prices, and I really liked the people. It is not that different from Instagram. According to Forbes, “Of those Instagram users who follow businesses, 26% typically visit business profiles every day. Another 27% visit business profiles every week.” Repeat customers are good customers. They come back, they remember, and they spread the word. A good Instagram account can reach loyal customers and they will spread the word for you.
Best of all, because I love a bargain, Instagram is free. It’s true: I do not like the time-vaporizer that it can be as a user, but looking at it from the other side of the screen, isn’t that what we want? To have young women consuming Instagram posts, remembering the source, and spreading the word?
Finally, Instagram can be used to let your donors, or potential donors, know what you are doing to change the world and culture to be more life-affirming, even those not looking for your organization. In 2022, Social Media Today reported that “Instagram says that many users have requested more direct ways to support charities, while it also consulted with several organizations on the project to ensure that it was taking the best approach to amplify relevant movements.”
We have a relevant movement. What you do matters. Let people know so they can support you.
You can use Instagram to reach not only clients but donors. It is an effective way to reach women with a carefully crafted message of life and reach donors with a well-articulated appeal. In other words, Instagram helps to market not just your brand but your message, and it can serve as a powerful fundraising tool.
I urge you to engage with potential clients where they are—right now—who are on Instagram. If you agree, please “like” and share this article.
Wars and Rumors of Wars: Elusive Peace
by Ellen Foell, International Specialist of Heartbeat International
“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” - Matthew 24:6-8
In early October 2023, Hamas attacked Israel on the 50th anniversary of the 1973 Yom Kippur War. In September 2023, both Serbia and Kosovo moved troops to their borders in a standoff. In February 2022, the Russian Federation attacked Ukraine.
Wars and rumors of wars. And that is not all.
Did you know that according to the Geneva Academy1 (which classifies all situations of armed violence that amount to an armed conflict under international humanitarian law), there are currently more than 110 armed conflicts around the world? Some of these conflicts make the headlines while others do not. Some of them started recently, while others have lasted for more than 50 years. Here is a map showing the locations of current armed conflicts.2
One does not need to study the map for very long to see that the geographic locations where armed conflict is occurring far outnumber the nations where there is some semblance of peace.
Of course, as soon as any war or conflict erupts, leaders start to talk about “calm heads,” and pursuing peace; they begin to argue about who started it, but mostly, their loudest cry and call is for peace—even though hardly anyone dares to talk about what that would look like. It is the cry not only from those engaged in the war but from those who lead powerful nations, and those who have influence. Throughout history, and in the context of hundreds of previous conflicts and wars, great leaders in the world and history have spoken about world peace: Alexander the Great, Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama, Helen Keller, and Martin Luther King, Jr. Men and women—black and white—of every generation has had its spokespersons for peace. Everyone wants peace.
As a “world community,” prizes are even given to those who advocate for peace as if the advocacy for peace had a magic dotted line to actual peace. It doesn’t. And even if we think it does, the prophet Jeremiah wrote:
“From the least to the greatest,
all are greedy for gain;
prophets and priests alike,
all practice deceit.
They dress the wound of my people
as though it were not serious.
‘Peace, peace,’ they say,
when there is no peace.”
– Jeremiah 6:14
The phrase “peace, peace,” when there is no peace is found in Jeremiah 6:14 and Jeremiah 8:11. It is also found in Ezekiel 13:10 and 16. In all four places, it has the same meaning in the same historical context: a cry for peace for a nation, for a people, amid conflict and oppression.
We want peace, and we cry for peace. As we look at the nations at war, the ethnic and regional conflicts, that are occurring right now in our world, of course, we pray for peace. But let us not kid ourselves. Jesus said we would hear of "wars and rumors of wars."Not only that, but Jesus told His disciples, “In the world, you will have tribulation.” (John 16:33)
“Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” - Matthew 10:34
“I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!” - Luke 12:49
Is this the same Jesus who said, “Peace I leave with you…” no fewer than three times to the disciples after he rose from the dead? The same Jesus who oftentimes told someone whose life he had just irreversibly and gloriously changed, “Go in peace.” Including, the woman He healed from the issue of blood (Luke 8:48), the woman who anointed His feet with her tears (Luke 7:50), and the royal official whose son was healed (John 4:50).
Jesus was called the Prince of Peace. He could make winds stop, still the waves, calm the raging Gerasene and quiet the accusations of the religious leaders. Jesus said to the disciples and to those He healed, several times, “Peace I leave with you,” “Go in peace,” “Be at peace with one another,” and “My peace I leave with you.” In the famous opening to His great sermon, known as the Beatitudes, Jesus taught, “Blessed [happy] are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matthew 5:9).
Well, which was it? Did Jesus come to bring peace or division, calm or conflict, serenity or a sword? What if He came to bring both?
We know that Jesus also said in John 14:27 the most enigmatic thing of all: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” Christ's "peace" here refers to a hope and reassurance that goes beyond what a fallen world can offer (Philippians 4:7). It is permanent, guaranteed, and eternal (Hebrews 6:18–19). Our vice president of Ministry Services, Tracie Shellhouse, shares an encouraging word about peace for each one of us. In Christ alone, we can have peace.
The Prophet Micah at 4:3, articulated his hope for a world where nations would no longer engage in warfare; where people would live in safety and unity, sitting under their own vine and fig tree with none to make them afraid. Micah, along with Isaiah and other prominent prophets, consistently emphasized the importance of justice, righteousness, and the pursuit of peace as integral components of a harmonious society. This underlines the idea that true peace was not just the absence of conflict but the presence of justice and righteousness in the world. We strive for peace, but we also know that the day when the lion lies down with the lamb is not for this side of eternity.
We have short video updates about the war in Israel from Sandy Shoshani, National Director of Be’ad Chaim, and Nadia Gordynsky, President of Save a Life, International, with a network of centers across Ukraine. Her testimony of what is happening in the Ukraine assures us God is on the throne and His work endures and grows despite conflict and war.
Friends and allies, we grieve the death and destruction caused by ongoing wars and conflict, but not as the world does. Our fully redeemed and truest hope is not in this world, and our hope is not in this present life. Nonetheless, let us pray and work for the peace of Jerusalem, the peace in Kiev, and the peace in every area of the world where conflict and unrest continue, until the shalom of the Prince of Peace is manifest.
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Sources
- https://geneva-academy.ch/galleries/today-s-armed-conflicts (accessed 10/31/23).
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ongoing_armed_conflicts (accessed 10/31/23).
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Heartbeat Goes to Australia
In February, International Program Specialist, Ellen Foell and Sara Dominguez, Affiliate Services Specialist, visited Australia! Below are some questions Ellen answered about her experience:
Have you been to Australia before?
Yes, about 30 years ago, when I was much younger and all 12 apostles were still extant. The 12 apostles are a limestone rock formation off the coast of Australia, and now there are only 7.5—not sure which apostles got voted out of the ocean.
How did this trip begin?
It began when a generous donor desired to launch a center internationally. The Life Launch program, under the purview of Sara Dominguez, has helped launch about 37 centers, helping centers in the U.S. to go farther, faster. Sara and I had been vetting candidates for an international launch when we met Dr. Mouawad in Sydney through Lara Wynyard, the Director of Pregnancy Help Australia (PHA). PHA is one of Heartbeat's nine international partner organizations. After talking to Dr. Mouawad and hearing her vision, we realized she was the candidate we were looking for. Her center is called Pregnancy and Life.
It was obvious that we should travel to Australia since I was also asked to speak at the PHA Conference, "Arise & Go," which was being held a little earlier in February in Adelaide, Australia. The two events coming together seemed like a great opportunity.
How long were you and Sara in Australia?
I was there for 2.5 weeks with the PHA Conference as one bookend of the stay, and the Life Launch training bookending the back end of my trip. Sara was there mostly for the Life Launch training itself in Sydney.
What PHOs did you visit during your time in Australia?
I visited Genesis, directed beautifully by Juli Sharpe. They do wonderful work, reaching out in various ways to the Adelaide community. Also, in Sydney I visited with Jenny Gurry, director of Diamond Women. Both centers are robust and effectively reaching women and families in their areas. I wish that I could have visited all 34 affiliated centers that are part of PHA.
What did your visit cover (curriculum, training, visits/meetings, etc.)?
At the PHA Conference, I was honored to keynote on the conference theme, which was based on the narrative of Deborah, found in the book of Judges.
I presented a workshop on "Raising the Standard," Heartbeat's training on the Commitment of Care and Competence, an agreement required by all affiliates.
Next, I presented a workshop, "Crowned with Dignity," which addresses the role of according God-given dignity to people around us and how restorative that is; based on the narrative of the interaction between Jesus and the woman at the well.
Then, at the Life Launch training, I was scheduled to train on the L.O.V.E. Approach to two groups of volunteers of about ten each group. Unfortunately for me— but perhaps fortunately for them—I lost my voice for three days and Sara stepped in to do what she does so often and so beautifully. However, I was able to do the second training.
Also, Sara and I also had a chance to meet with two of the board members and were blown away by their commitment to help the center.
Finally, I had a chance to sit in with Sara as she led the executive director through New Director training one-on-one (while I pretended to be invisible). It was trainings that were all pregnancy help center-related, much like we do at Pregnancy Help Institute, but one-on-one which was a great opportunity for Marie Rose (Dr. Mouawad) to ask any questions, take notes, etc.
How will the training/curriculum you (and Sara) provided improve their PHO in the future?
Training is training. They can be very static. But what takes training to the next level is the relationship that can form as a result of the training. Sara specifically, and Heartbeat generally, excels at relationship-building and keeping the bridge open for more help, questions, and encouragement. No center director should feel alone on the journey, from turning the key to opening the door on the first day.
How has Heartbeat (and their affiliation with us) made an impact on their organization(s)?
With regard to PHA, let me allow Lara, Director of PHA, to speak on behalf of PHA. PHA and Heartbeat have been partnering in this work for over 40 years. PHA is celebrating their 45th birthday this year (2024), so give them a shout-out and sing Happy Birthday! They are doing a great work. We hosted Lara in 2019 at our conference in Dallas, Texas. Last year, we hosted Anthony Moore (Genesis board chair) at our conference in Louisville, Kentucky.
What was the biggest thing you learned from or about the organizations you visited?
PHA is very healthy and very robust. Despite being stretched in all ways, the PHA leadership is coming up with very innovative and significant means to reach more centers so they can reach more women and families. Pregnancy and Life is being launched under the umbrella of Maronite Care which encompasses several outreaches of the Maronite Church. It is wonderful to see the church being so supportive and engaged with a new center.
What was the biggest takeaway from your visit to Australia?
Honestly, it sounds silly, but standing at the coast at some point, and realizing the next big land mass is Antarctica. Australia is really far away. On a less geographic note, what struck me was the incredible effort that PHA is putting forth to move west to east and north to south so that women in Australia are able to be reached with real alternatives to abortion. As to Dr. Mouawad, my takeaway was the amazing commitment she has to rescuing babies and women. She was inspired by our own Jor-El Godsey, President of Heartbeat International, who was in Australia in early 2023. Dr. Mouawad felt such a conviction in her heart that she determined that establishing a center was the call for her.
Why is it important for us to connect internationally and between organizations?
If we really believe that we are better together, then we need to acknowledge that together only happens with intentionality and commitment. The global pregnancy help work probably exists in many more than the 94 countries in which Heartbeat is currently privileged to serve. The best way we connect with new centers and new countries is someone tells someone, who then tells someone else. I believe that God commands a blessing where the brothers and sisters dwell together in unity. One of our values at Heartbeat is unity, and we believe that we all work better together when we know we are not alone.
The thing I hear most often from international attendees at our pregnancy help conference for the first time is, "I could not believe so many others are doing the same work!" Let no one in this work feel they are alone. God has His armies everywhere.
Is there anything else that stood out to you or affected you during your time there? Anything that surprised you?
Yes, the thing that surprised me was a sad surprise mainly because it was a reflection of the state of the culture in Australia and the ongoing need for the work of the pregnancy help centers. A young woman at the LO.V.E. Approach training shared that she had a ten-month-old. When she went to her doctor to confirm pregnancy, the first words out of her doctor's mouth were not "Congratulations!" or, "I am so happy for you." Their first words were, "Do you intend to abort?" I was shocked. How sad that such great news could be and would be met with such a negative response. It confirmed again that our work is not just to save the babies, but also their moms, dads, community, and culture.
Coming and Going Together in Unity
by Ellen Foell, International Program Specialist
And, that’s a wrap for Heartbeat International’s 2024 conference, held in Salt Lake City, Utah from
April 23-26. What a conference it was! It was our most well-attended conference yet, with over 2,000 persons attending in person and virtually (and counting, as our virtual conference continues). We had 14 nations represented and 48 internationals attended. If you were not able to attend, we missed you and hope you will consider attending next year’s conference.*
Fortunately, even though the Heartbeat staff and attendees are all back in their seats at life-affirming organizations across the globe, the thematic call, United for Life, continues. In case you were not able to attend either the in-person or virtual conference, our key verse was Philippians 2:2, "...then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being united in spirit and purpose." We recently published an issue of Heartbeat Around the World on the call and need for unity. However, as we know, God’s word is timeless and ever-fresh. At this conference, it really struck me afresh that we are called to unity in many aspects.
We are called to be united in our...
- minds
- hearts
- spirits
- souls—including the outward expression of our purpose
Unity is an intentional, wholehearted, and whole-life effort to love our God, our neighbors, our clients, and our fellow life-affirming co-laborers with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.
Sometimes, we can focus so much on the mission that we forget that love is at the very heart of our mission, and without love, our mission may very well sound like a clanging cymbal. Let us have the same love. Or, we can hyperfocus on the specific aspect of the life-affirming movement that we think our hyperfocus should be everyone’s hyperfocus. The life-affirming movement is multifaceted, and each of us is called to know our specific calling and our place on the "wall." As we pursue like-mindedness, the same love, unity in spirit and purpose, we will see God’s purposes and His glory cover the earth, as the waters cover the sea.
Speaking of God’s glory, take a look at this video of the Parade of Nations, as Heartbeat’s 97 affiliated nations’ flags were on display for God’s splendor.
*If you think you might be interested in attending next year’s conference and require a VISA to attend, do not wait until next year to get your VISA appointment. Heartbeat can send you an invitation to next year’s conference that you can take to your interview. As always, the letter is not a promise by Heartbeat to pay for expenses of registration, accommodations, or travel. It is to be used only for purposes of the VISA interview.
European Union Continues Its Pro-abortion Drumbeat
by Ellen Foell, International Program Specialist
We all know that the world is ablaze with debate and fury on the issue of abortion. Unfortunately, that blaze is also occurring in the highest halls of government. And, nowhere is that more apparent than in the European Union, its Parliament, and its Court. On the one hand, the European Parliament voted in a directive that surrogacy can be a form of reproductive exploitation and human trafficking. That is great news.
On the other hand, the EU Parliament also recently voted in favor of including access to abortion as a fundamental right in the EU's Charter of Fundamental Rights. From the podium, hard-left French MEP Manon Aubry attacked what she called "reactionaries" on the right to vote against the measure, stating, "No, the right to abortion is not a controversial issue. It is a fundamental freedom. No, the right to abortion does not kill. On the contrary, it saves lives. And while you are quietly attacking it here in the European Parliament, [women] can count on us. We'll be with you all the way."
Fortunately, that vote is largely symbolic. The resolution is non-binding, and a full-fledged right to abortion access would require the backing of all 27 member states to be included in the EU's charter. But symbols have meaning. We need to be aware of our times and interpret them rightly.
Upcoming Summit
At the upcoming European Pregnancy Help Leaders Summit, Heartbeat is pleased to welcome attorney Guillermo A. Morales Sancho, Legal Counsel with ADF International, based in Vienna, Austria. He will draw upon his experience to discuss the most recent resolutions from the EU Parliament and their potential impact on pregnancy help centers in Europe. (Of course, we will also host speakers on fundraising, client services and center management.)
Soon, you can sign up to attend the EPHL Summit in Budapest, Hungary, on September 19-21,2024. Registration will open June 1, 2024. The registration is free for affiliates. If you need to affiliate, or re-affiliate, you can affiliate here for $70.00USD. If you are not affiliated, the cost for registration and meals is $195.00 USD per person.
About Attorney Guillermo A. Morales Sancho
Guillermo A. Morales Sancho, PhD, serves as legal counsel, Europe, for ADF International in Vienna, Austria. He is a lawyer specializing in constitutional and human rights law and conducts legal advocacy in Europe to promote and protect parental rights, free speech, children’s right to life, as well as freedom of conscience and religion.1
Your Role In Adversity
Awareness of the times in which we live can be the starting point at which we are reminded of these core truths:
- Unity: Discover why unity matters at such a time as this. This movement is bigger than any one of us. We must work together and stand strong against those who work so hard to break us apart.
- Peace: Remember your source of peace.
- Commitment and intentionality: At the core, this is a daily practice to remain committed to the mission and intentional in what you do.
Adversity is an opportunity we can seize to deepen our faith. The political endeavors to enshrine abortion into law around the world should propel us to remember our mission, unite in prayer and intercession (just as Paul and Silas chose to pray in their darkest moments), and focus vertically, keeping our eyes fixed on the Lord.
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1. More information can be found here: https://adfinternational.org/our-team/guillermo-a-morales-sancho
Heartbeat Goes to Zambia
This Summer, of 2024, Jor-El Godsey, President of Heartbeat International, visited Zambia! Below are some questions Jor-El answered about his experience:
1. Have you been to Zambia before?
Yes! Parts of Zambia are in the world-renowned Copper Belt that holds an estimated 50% of the world’s concentration of copper. It’s been a few years since I’ve been so I was eager to go back to have the chance to be with our joint-affiliate network partners, AFLA (Association for Life of Africa).
2. Why did you go to Zambia and what impact did you and the conference hosts hope for?
Ndola, Zambia was the hosting site for AFLA’s National Directors Conference. Barbra Mwansa, our long-time friend (since 1998), and her AFLA team always create a great opportunity for building friendships, deepening understanding, and envisioning the future. While AFLA has affiliates in nearly 18 countries, their home base is in Zambia (Kitwe).
3. What was planned for this trip?
It was my privilege to get to connect with African leaders from many countries. Particularly new to me were the many key leaders from French-speaking countries in Africa, such as the Congo, Cameroon, and Ivory Coast. I was also able to support the AFLA conference line-up with a workshop and two keynotes.
4. Did anything surprise you?
My biggest surprise for this trip was an unexpected, and extended, stay in Nairobi, Kenya. After the long flight from New York City (JFK) to Nairobi, Kenya (NBO) I missed my connection by just a few minutes. Unfortunately, the next flight was scheduled for the following morning so that meant an overnight in Nairobi was in order. This included applying for a visa at the airport. When the next day’s flight was canceled as well, the long trek became even longer. In all, it took 73 hours to get from my home to the conference in Zambia. Not only did that scramble the schedule a little bit for my presentations, but it meant lost time with our good friends gathered there.
A fun surprise was speaking (with interpretation) in French. While I have worked with interpreters for Spanish, Russian, and other languages, this was my first time hearing my words in what is often called “the language of love,” French. I’m grateful our French-speaking friends in Africa were able to hear the conference content in the language of their hearts!
5. Who did you get to connect with—either for the first time or to foster an existing relationship?
Meeting with Pastor Edward and Barbra Mwansa is always a joy. This couple is, in some ways, the patriarch and matriarch of the pregnancy help movement across much of Africa. In addition, I was able to visit with some familiar friends who have been able to join us for past Heartbeat International conferences in the U.S. But it was the many new leaders in AFLA, who lead pregnancy help outreach and pro-life churches, who I was able to meet with for the first time and hope to see in the future.
6. Why is it important for those in the pregnancy help movement to connect with others internationally?
Community is a cornerstone of the biblical imperative. God created us for community because He existed in community, the Godhead, before creation. That’s why it is important for all of us to seek, affirm, and cultivate our community. The pregnancy help community has a specific, even unique, calling to champion life where we find ourselves. In the United States pregnancy help can look different in, say, Texas, than it does in California. This is also true internationally where the variations in culture, economy, government, and spiritual foundation can be challenging. Building community across the country and around the globe helps us to encourage one another and stimulate each other “toward love and good deeds.” (See Hebrews 10:24-25.)
