FredMcKinnon.Com

UPDATE: I published this blog, and went outside to mow the lawn, and heard that still, small voice say “offer to give away your music”. So … for anyone who makes a contribution of $10 or more, let me know in the comments and I’ll send you the Worship Under the Stars DVD for FREE, including the postage. (limited to first 100 people, for now!)

Hey Everyone,

For the last week, I’ve felt compelled to do this blog. The majority of my readership is Christian, and we as Christ followers should be the ones sacrificing, giving, feeding the poor, providing shelter for the homeless, and yes … protecting the lives of the unborn.

I have been so blessed to see how the blogging community has overwhelmingly supported such wonderful ministries such as Compassion International. This is a real-world example of how we can give up just a tiny bit of our extreme wealth to those less fortunate. (you think you aren’t wealthy, check GlobalRichList.Com.

Right now, I want to make you aware of the various “Crisis Pregnancy Centers” around the world, but more specifically, the one right here in my backyard. CareNet Pregnancy Center of Coastal Georgia (ministry site | partners site) is led by one of my dear friends, Patrick Eades. He’s passionate about the unborn, about spiritual wholeness, about purity and abstinence. This local center has done some amazing things in our community, and has since planted two other thriving centers in Southeastern Georgia.

Our local CareNet goes way beyond pregnancy counseling. Braveheart is their teen abstinence initiative that fills our public and private schools with hilarious, practical, and relevant presentations about sexual purity and abstinence. They have ultrasound now, and have already started offering FREE STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) Screenings. They have programs where you can come and be educated about parenthood and earn “points” to redeem for baby clothes, cribs, formula, etc.

Most importantly – this ministry is saving lives … both of the unborn, and the eternal lives of it’s clients almost EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Here are a few stats that Patrick compiled for our local, Brunswick GA only (not including the other two campuses recently planted).

41 babies confirmed spared from abortion in past twelve months
41 clients became Christians in past twelve months
759 clients in past twelve months with 2,011 client visits
258 clients received ultrasounds with 77 at risk for abortion
60 sexually transmitted disease screenings with 16 testing positive and treated
With our current budget (which we are not meeting, so it may be a little unrealistic) the average cost per client visit $125 (actually a little more, but pretty close)

I subscribe to E-Care, Patrick’s email alerts … and almost daily there comes an email saying something like this …

“Please pray. An abortion-minded client is meeting with our volunteers at this very moment. She is very pressured to get an abortion”.

On many occassions, that email is followed by a second one like this …

“Do you hear the angels rejoicing in heaven? The client that we mentioned earlier, after seeing her unborn child on ultrasound, chose to reject abortion and carry this child to term. Furthermore, after receiving counseling, the client accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior”.

My blog friends, this happens almost EVERY SINGLE DAY.

However, with the downward turn in our economy – more people are giving less … or not at all. Patrick has been bold and full of vision and their budget has been suffering. Not because of poor stewardship, and CERTAINLY NOT because of inflated salaries (believe me!). People just aren’t able to give. Maybe they have moved on to other causes.

I want to ask you to help me. Joy and I have been faithful supporters of CareNet for as long as I can remember. But now I’m reaching out and asking you to help. I realize this local center may not be in “YOUR BACKYARD”, but with our blogs, the internet, twitter, and social networking – we are ALL NEIGHBORS now.

Please consider making a donation to this ministry. I’m telling you – $5.00 via PayPal makes a difference. Can you sacrifice your latte’ for one day? Can you go in your pantry, and blow the dust off a can of soup and have it with a grilled cheese sandwich, instead of spending $10 on a restaurant lunch this week? (ok, so maybe soup and grilled cheese isn’t a big motivator!).

Friends, if the “Donate” button won’t work – just go to OurPartners.Org and the Donate link is on the bottom. Please consider making a small sacrifice. If enough of us rally together, we can make a difference. I don’t want to see a slump in the economy and giving result in a life-changing ministry having to cut back on it’s marketing, advertising, or vision.

Join in and MAKE A DIFFERENCE. Donate more than $10 – leave your comment below, and I’ll send you my “Worship Under the Stars” DVD for FREE. Including Postage. (limited to first 100 people).

Donate, and share your story.

For the Kingdom,
Fred