Abortion remains a hidden secret for many people, perhaps even some in your congregation. SaveOne, a post-abortion ministry located in Nashville, Tennessee, provides curriculum for men and women whose lives have been affected by abortion. Shelia Harper, founder of SaveOne, granted an interview with Women’s Ministries.

WM: How did SaveOne get started?

SH: SaveOne was started when I saw a need for men and women to tell their stories of how abortion affected their lives. Since we are not currently hearing the truth, the people who know the truth, the ones who have chosen abortion, are the ones who should be telling it. These men and women need a platform to tell their stories of what God has done in their lives after they made this dreadful choice.

WM: Give a brief history of SaveOne.

SH: I had an abortion on March 29, 1985. For seven years, my life was on a roller coaster that only went in one direction . . . down. After a failed suicide attempt and many years of drug and alcohol abuse, I finally found a group of women at a local pregnancy center who helped me. They offered a class just for women who had chosen abortion and were having problems getting their lives back on track.

Through that class, I found my way back to Jesus Christ. He healed the gaping wound in my life. I started teaching this same class to others. In every class I heard, “If I could just save one unborn baby, I would be willing to tell my story.” God showed me the need for those stories to be heard in our communities, workplaces, and families. I believe abortion will end in our country and around the world when people are no longer silent about the heartache and broken lives abortion leaves in its wake.

WM: What is unique about SaveOne?

SH: One of the unique features of this ministry is the men’s curriculum. We offer training to teach SaveOne either in person or on DVD. Our coordinators stay in touch with each facilitator and offer encouragement, prayer support, tools to help promote the class, a free web page on the SaveOne site, and much more. We are a network of people, all on the same team, working toward the same goal.

WM: How is the issue addressed without causing unintended shame and guilt for women who have experienced an abortion?

SH: The men and women who have experienced abortion are usually doing a good job of heaping shame and guilt on themselves. Talking about this subject will bring all of those emotions and pain to the surface; there’s no way around that. But SaveOne offers hope. We’re helping them understand and know, sometimes for the first time, that God can forgive even this sin. Instead of harsh words of condemnation, we draw show them the love of Christ.

To read the entire interview with Sheila, click here.

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