A Message from the CEO
What Only God Can Do
Habakkuk 2:2 says, “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that he may run who reads it.” First Coast Women’s Services believes that God has given us a vision of what He wants us to do this year toward ending abortion in NE FL in our lifetime. Henry Blackaby, author of Experiencing God, said, “When God lets you know what He wants to do through you, it will be something only God can do.”
Our vision has two main goals this year:
Reach the Abortion-Minded/Abortion-Determined Woman
Industry research shows that there is only a small 24 to 48-hour window after an abortion–minded woman discovers that she is pregnant before she schedules an appointment for an abortion. Because abortions are easier to access than ever, First Coast Women’s Services wants to expand the newly launched Telehealth Call Center. Connecting clients with Registered Nurses via the call center is proving to be highly successful in influencing abortion-minded women to postpone a decision until they can come into a center for an ultrasound at 6 weeks or later. The percentage of women who keep their ultrasound appointments after being scheduled by a nurse is double that of those who don’t speak with a nurse on first contact (70% vs 35%). For this reason, we wish to extend the call center size, as well as hours, to handle the increasing number of clients. FCWS needs $175,000 for this expansion.
Increased Investment to Reach the Next Generation
The Lord has brought us a former bank building to purchase and renovate near UNF and FSCJ South so that we are at the epicenter of our target age group, 18 to 24-year-olds. These college-aged women may be far from family, and it is important to be a life-affirming support system to these vulnerable women.
We are working to raise the $750,000 needed to renovate this building. This new center will take the place of our Beach Center, but will be larger and more strategically located to reach the next generation. Nationwide, 60% of abortion patients are in their 20s. (Care-Net Facts on Abortion 2019). A recent Barna Study stated that only 29% of the Gen Z generation believe that abortion is wrong, a decrease from 33% of Millennials.
The Lord has blessed First Coast Women’s Services abundantly since it began serving clients in 1994. Our budget has always been met. In the last few years, it seems that the Lord has opened the storehouses of heaven even wider to provide whatever He has called us to do. For example, through the generosity of our donors, we were able to open the Northside Center in 2020, completely debt-free. He has used many of you to provide these blessings, and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
I have now outlined the vision that the Lord has given us for 2022. It comes with a hefty cost that only God can provide. I am asking you to pray about this and ask the Lord if He is calling you to take part in this provision.
Joyfully serving the King,
Judy Weber, CEO
Aisha’s Story
When Aisha came to First Coast Women’s Services, she was considering abortion. She was overwhelmed with caring for her two children and wanted to stay on track with her plan to begin work as a medical assistant. Already the mother of two young children, Aisha did not feel prepared to have another. Her fiancé supported her financially, but left the choice to her.
When Aisha came in for her ultrasound with us, she bravely
looked at the screen, happy to see her baby moving and full of life. After discussing options with her Client Advocate, Aisha stated, “After all that we’ve discussed and seeing my baby, I can’t take my baby’s life.”
Aisha’s sweet baby girl, Phoenix, came into the world on November 10, 2021. The couple is overjoyed with their decision and are continuing to strengthen their relationship and family. Aisha is also continuing to pursue her career and will graduate in 2022 as a Medical Coder. Aisha said, “God will always make a way for things to get done that are supposed to be done in our life.” She learned that children are not a deterrent to a woman’s goals, but that children can make reaching those goals far more rewarding than imaginable.
Watch Aisha’s full story here:
