Charis Around the World

Life In Ukraine
Anne Sokol

Healing Leaves

Being pro-life is such a part of our hearts and values as Christian birth professionals. Statistically, Ukraine is in fifth place from the top in the number of abortions performed. Most of the women who sit in our churches have had a least one abortion, if not numerous.

Being so interested in midwifery and childbirth, I am drawn to the gentle healing arts. And when it comes to post-abortive women, gentle, God-directed healing is essential.

In Ukraine, as in America, there are some misconceptions about aborted women. One thought is that when a woman repents, she becomes like a clean slate. Of course, God has forgiven her, but the deep consequences and individual effects of abortion on a woman’s soul and the course of her life are not understood. Another wrong idea is that past abortions should not be talked about, that it isn’t desirable or necessary to bring up such a dirty topic.

Three months ago, I became involved as a co-leader in Forgiven & Set Free, a Bible study for aborted women. We had a small group of three women, and the study walked us through various topics like the effects of abortion, why it’s necessary to be healed, the character of God, anger, guilt, forgiveness, responsibility for the abortion, and letting your child go.

Natasha, Luda, Anne Sokol (co-leader), Olya Keba (co-leader), and Olya.

Our three ladies studied their Bibles for hours during the course, and God’s Word and the Holy Spirit worked incredible truth and change into their hearts. One lady was stunned when she had to actually name her aborted children. It was toward the end of the course, but during that one exercise it dawned on her that these babies were real people. Another lady dealt with her constant sense of guilt and told of how she annually goes through periods of deep, debilitating depression. They filled out the “pie of responsibility” twice. The first time, one lady blamed herself for everything, but the second time, she understood that she was not the only one involved in and responsible for the abortions. These ladies cried and shared horrible feelings and actions from their lives; things hidden in dark recesses were brought into the healing light in a safe environment.

Near the end of the study, we had a small memorial service. Songs, a poem, saying the names of their children out loud, being allowed to speak about their abortions and to cry in public and in an accepting place, a message about forgiveness, and lots of love were special, transforming gifts to these ladies during this service.

This table is the centerpiece during the memorial service. The central, red candle represents Christ and the smaller candles each represent an aborted child. The papers underneath the candles have the child’s names written on each one. The basket starts empty, and at the beginning of the service, we give each woman white roses—one for each child. During the service, the women have a time to stand at the table, tell us the names of their babies, read something she prepared about them, and then she puts the roses in the basket.

They finished the study as changed women.

I learned something through this experience. That in some way, co-leading this group also came from my “with woman” heart.  Midwives are healers, and healing comes in many forms and ways.

Revelation 22:2 is the verse impressed on me for these studies: “And on either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” What will we do with those leaves for healing? Rub them on our skin? Eat them? Make tea from them? I don’t know. But some of them fell to earth for us during this study. Healing from the throne of God.

Next month, Lord willing, we’ll be facilitating another group of five women through the Bible study. Pray for us. From your “with woman” hearts, pray for their healing.

 Prayerfully, Anne Sokol

Victoria, Anne, Vitaliy and Skyla Sokol

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