I am writing to you today as I prepare to embark on my ninth trip to India with PassionLife, an organization dedicated to promoting a pro-life message and supporting those in crisis pregnancies. It has been five or six years since I began this work in India, and this time I will be accompanied by Jeannie Pernia, our Director of all Latin American initiatives.
Jeannie, a native Spanish speaker, is usually based in Central and South America, where she oversees a team. However, her expertise in training people in crisis counseling makes her an invaluable asset for this trip. She is our lead trainer for those new to crisis counseling, and she previously worked at the Heartbeat of Miami pregnancy help clinics with Martha Abula. There, she learned how to coordinate pregnancy help training and how to counsel individuals and couples facing crisis pregnancies. Her experience in training others to effectively communicate with those in vulnerable situations will be of great benefit to the women leaders in India.
In the past, I have primarily been at the helm of these trips to India, but I now recognize the value of sharing these responsibilities with other members of our team who have their own unique expertise. Jeannie’s presence, in particular, will be a great advantage. She will be able to connect with the women who have risen as leaders in the pro-life movement there. These women have demonstrated a passion for the pro-life message and a desire to assist women in finding peace and healing, helping them to move away from an abortion-minded approach. Many of the pastors that I have been working with in Northeast India have identified these women leaders within their communities. They now require advanced training to become more confident and competent in addressing the questions, worries, and concerns that women often have when facing an unplanned or unwanted pregnancy.
Jeannie is excited about traveling to Asia for this trip. For her, it will be a change from her usual routes in Latin America. This will be her third trip to Asia; she traveled to China with John and Kristen Insur about ten years ago, and once I took her to Vietnam. This time, we will be traveling through Doha and into northeastern India. The local believers in India are also particularly excited to have her come and share her knowledge and experience.
Our work in India will begin in Kolkata, and then we will move to the northeastern part of West Bengal, an area that is strategically located near the borders of Bhutan, Nepal, China, Bangladesh, and Myanmar. The area of West Bengal is described as almost hanging off of northeastern India. This region is largely unreached with the gospel, with few Christians working there. It is a critical area for outreach in Eastern Asia, as the local believers have access to people from multiple surrounding countries.
As we prepare for this journey, I ask that you pray for Jeannie and me. Please pray for our stamina and for our health. I have been recovering from a recent illness after returning from Africa and would appreciate prayers for a full recovery before our departure, as well as for our health while traveling. We also ask for prayers for our time with at least two strategic national leaders who have emerged in the pro-life cause in India. These leaders are dedicated and passionate about serving the Lord in the pro-life realm and bringing this message to others.
Our goal for this trip is to define a holistic national strategy for reaching leaders across India with a pro-life message. We aim to provide them with the resources and readiness to respond to a culture that is increasingly moving toward abortion. This mission is vital, as data suggests that India is becoming increasingly hostile toward unborn children, particularly girls. Abortion rates in India continue to rise, and the need for a cohesive national movement in the pro-life cause has never been more pressing. While we celebrate the progress in countries like Cuba, we must redouble our efforts in India, which has become a high priority in our mission.
While we are traveling, you can stay connected to our work through PassionLife’s text updates. We aim to send a daily text to keep you informed about our progress and how you can pray for us in real-time. If you’re not already subscribed, please sign up on our website, passionlife.org. Your prayers and support are greatly appreciated and instrumental in our work to promote a pro-life message and protect the unborn in India.