Word of Hope, the post-abortion healing ministry of Lutherans For Life, started 17 years ago. Since then, we have offered hope and healing to thousands (we average 300 calls per month on our hot-line).

Contacts range in age from teenagers on cell phones to the elderly in nursing homes, from prisoners writing from their cells to someone e-mailing us from a villa in Rome. One thing they all have in common is this: depression, sadness, fear, and guilt surrounding the abortion experience. All are desperately seeking help (as you will see from these letters):

My 21-year-old daughter had an abortion in February of 2002 and was killed in a car accident in September of 2002. My husband insisted she [have the abortion] . . . I knew this was wrong and tried to tell him . . . I feel she was taken because of this decision. It has been five and half years but I still struggle with my relationship with my husband . . . The day they went for the abortion I couldn’t go. I spent the day on my knees praying for all. It’s extremely difficult to look at my friends’ children and see them with their little babies, constantly thinking it should have been my daughter and my grandchild.

Before coming to Word of Hope I thought my life was over and I felt I had no reason to live. My husband had just died of a heart attack and I had two young children. He was only 36. I felt God was punishing us for the abortion we had while in college . . . Because of Word of Hope I know my God has truly forgiven me. My life has changed through this ministry and the counselors here not only helped me but they helped my children. Thank you for showing us God’s love, grace, and mercy can overcome anything.

[Word of Hope] has shown me an amazing way to help myself, and it’s all through Him. Thank you for your continued encouragement . . . Because of Christ there is hope.

That Bible study stuff you sent me—I couldn’t stop reading . . . You wouldn’t believe the number of women in this prison that have had abortions . . . Could you send us more materials? You think Jesus really loves me? I put up that Bible verse, John 3:16, you gave me on my wall. Please keep praying for me.

The Psalmist writes: "He is the Healer of the brokenhearted. He is the One who bandages their wounds" (147:3 GOD’S WORD for Life). Word of Hope shares that message by providing a toll-free hotline (888-217-8679); web site (www.word-of-hope.org); crisis intervention; counseling; spiritual care; support groups; resources for pastors, parents, and teachers; educational programs; and Titus 2 for Life (a model for mentoring biblical manhood and womanhood).