July 1, 2025 • 35 mins
Jor-El Godsey serves as President of Heartbeat International. He leads a staff dedicated to equipping, empowering, and encouraging the thousands of leaders and developing leaders of Heartbeat’s affiliated pregnancy help centers, maternity homes, and adoption services, in the U.S. and on every inhabited continent. He oversees Heartbeat’s core mission to be the leadership supply line for the growing pregnancy help movement worldwide by providing accurate information, training resources, leadership development conferences, programs, and daily support to help affiliates start, grow, and expand their services to women and couples at risk for abortion.
Thank you for watching The Ever-Living Podcast, a heartfelt space to share the stories and voices of women who champion a culture that values and protects life. Each episode we seek to empower, offering connection, hope, and strength through the journeys of those who work and pray for this cause. Crafted for women seeking purpose and community, we welcome you to join us in cherishing every single heartbeat.
Thank you for watching The Ever-Living Podcast, a heartfelt space to share the stories and voices of women who champion a culture that values and protects life. Each episode we seek to empower, offering connection, hope, and strength through the journeys of those who work and pray for this cause. Crafted for women seeking purpose and community, we welcome you to join us in cherishing every single heartbeat.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:11):
Welcome to ever Living, a podcast about valuing life here
on earth and for eternity. Every week on ever Living,
we create a space for sharing the stories and voices
of those who work in prey to create a culture
of life in New England and beyond. So welcome to
ever Living. Everybody Welcome, Jason.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Thank city. How is your week been great? It's been
a bit warm. I don't know if you.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Noticed, Yes, very hot, ninety degrees here in New Hampshire. Well,
what's who can withstand the surface of the sun. Maybe superman?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
I don't know. Maybe they even get recharged by the sun.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Well, that reminds me of our special guests today. Everybody
please welcome Jorell go see, the president of Heartbeat International.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Welcome, Darrell, Thanks, Cindy, appreciated very much. Good to be
with you, guys.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Thanks for being here today. Let's start with something fun.
Can you explain the origin of your name?
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Oh? Absolutely, I get this question all the time. I
think people are expecting am I from some foreign, far
away country and the answers, no, is this my you know,
grandma and Grandpa's name shoved together. No, it actually comes
as you hinted, it comes from Krypton. Jarrell is Superman's
father's name, and so it's been something I've carried since
(01:36):
I was obviously very little, didn't have anything to say
about at the time, but it was something my dad
was really hyped about. So it's something I've been able
to carry before cool and different names was really popular.
I got to do this every single first day of
school as I was growing up, to introduce a new
name with a hyphen and the capital E and all that.
(01:56):
So yeah, and in fact, we've carried that tradition along
with my own kids. So I have my oldest his
middle name is kaal El, which is Superman's name on Krypton.
My daughter is Kara or Kara, which is super Girl,
and then my youngest his name is Joel, but his
middle name is Kent. So we've had a lot of
(02:18):
fun with that.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
So's it's in the whole family, that's right. Well. As Superman,
his job is to rescue people from danger. I think
your mission is to rescue mothers and children from danger
as well. Can you explain more about your role at
Heartbeat International?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yeah, I have the privilege of being the president here
of what is the largest network of pregnancy help locations
service locations both around the country and around the world.
We're now in one hundred and two countries with almost
four thousand locations. These are pregnancy centers, their pregnancy medical clinics,
(03:01):
their maternity homes. They are also some nonprofit adoption agencies
and a handful of other efforts that are all designed
to help women have alternatives to abortion, so that no
one feels like that's the only path that they can take,
but that there are those who are ready to step
into the gap and help help them rescue their own baby.
That's one of the values that we get to do.
(03:23):
We get to work with leaders and volunteers and staff
members who are doing this in many different capacities, different languages.
We have our own direct services efforts here. We operate
optionline dot org which was functioning twenty four to seven
three sixty five to help people connect with life firming help.
And then also a newer program for US is Abortion
(03:46):
Pill Rescue Network where we operate abortion pill Reversal dot
Com and also have another team that answers those types
of calls to help them connected with the potential to
reverse a chemical abortion that they no longer want.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Okay, wow, let's take a look at those sites that
you shared. Let's start with option line dot org.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yeah, let's pull it up. So option line was something
was It was a dream that we had of being
able to answer. In fact. In fact, if I go
back to the founding of Heartbeat International, which was way
back in the very early stages of abortion becoming an
issue in our nation, it was before Row. Actually in
(04:29):
nineteen seventy one, the founders of Heartbeater National talked about
having a what they called the Watts Line. We would
know it as an eight hundred number, and that vision
became a reality in two thousand and three when we
took our first call at option Line. We had a
group of folks that were based right here in Columbus,
Ohio that we're all together for. There would be a
(04:50):
team operating around the clock together. As technology improved, we
were able to begin to do that from a remote basis.
As we we needed to get Spanish speakers. You might
be surprised to you to know that they're not a
huge number of Spanish speakers here in Columbus, Ohio. So
we had to stretch into places like Texas and California
(05:12):
and all over to get Spanish speakers, and we're delighted
that over the last several years we've been able to
provide twenty four to seven Spanish speaking help as well.
So it's a labor of love. We have a great
team that does this. They do it. It's a paid staff,
so they're very accomplished, very professional in doing it. But
they're ready to talk to anyone who's facing an unplanned
(05:32):
pregnancy and connect them to the resource that's closest to them.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
That's awesome throughout.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Can you talk about you know, the way that we
communicate in society has changed a lot. You know, back
when I was younger, all we had were phone calls, right,
we didn't have text messages and all that. How has
option Line evolved in order to accommodate like the younger generations.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Well, it's actually it's actually evolved quite a bit. We
of course opened it and started it as a call center,
meaning we were primarily taking phone calls. We also had
email at the time, of course that was readily available
to us, but we happen to be jumping in right
as SMS or text became a big thing, and then
soon chat was became an even bigger thing. And so
(06:19):
the truth is now is like our chat, our text
and email represent a decent volume. But it's been very
interesting we've seen actually talk about the younger generation. We're
seeing some signs that option line and even some research
that is unrelated to option line about how when people
are in crisis, they want to talk to someone. And
(06:41):
so our calls have actually expanded, like we've gone up
like fifty percent in the last five years phone calls,
like actual literal answers phone calls. Now we can still
do texts, have a great team that does all that
email and chat and mostly chat would be among those.
But any way that we can connect with them, any
way that we can help them find that help that's
(07:01):
closest to them, we're excited to be able to do that.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Cool. So can we go back to that website option line.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
And take a look.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Yeah. The other thing about option line is that has
a locator for those that are already like for instance,
like this is the one resource that I would encourage
everybody to have walking around with them as option line
dot org, because yes, we have a team that's able
to answer those calls, able to answer those those chats
and texts and email, but there's also a locator where
if you want to know, like what life affirming resources
(07:32):
are nearby, you simply enter the locator. You can enter
a city, a zip code, you can enter some kind
of details and that will actually connect you. You can
see who we have on our list. It's the very
same list that our option line folks use when they're
trying to connect someone. Actually, we'll bring up the closest
ten the ten closest locations, no matter wherever you are,
(07:56):
and then that gives you an opportunity to connect directly.
Of course, during the day, that's that's probably the best
opportunity to be able to connect. But then during the
evening that's when our team is likely going to be
the one that they're going to talk to. Or overnight
and weekends, we're the ones that are going to be
available twenty four to seven. For those that are not,
we can also schedule appointments in local and some local ets.
(08:17):
She's about half of those that are an option line,
we can actually schedule appointments right into their books. So
we're trying to do everything we can to connect people
with the help that they're looking for that will affirm
life that will help them at no cost to them.
It's a great opportunity for us to serve across the
Northeast and around the around the country.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
That's amazing. There must be a lot of logistics that
go into that.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah, yeah, I have a great team. Go ahead.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Oh I just you said you have a great team.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Yeah, we have a great team. We have some folks
that have been been around for a long time, others
that are brand new to us. They go through extensive
training as they're learning to answer those calls that we
have a handful of nurses that are part of our
call as well, so that sometimes there are some medical
questions that they can answer, some medical education that they
can offer, particularly for those that are facing some particularly
(09:11):
challenging sent scenarios, we can we can step in with
a nurse and provide some more information.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Okay, let's try this out. Let's choose a location. Can
we put a zip code?
Speaker 4 (09:22):
How about three oh five four that's Merrimack you I'm
sure three zero five four.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Okay, there you go. You get a map and if
you if you scroll below that you'll see it. It'll
kind of it'll kind of stack up as far as
as far as who's closest to that zip code as
best as the software interprets what where you're talking about.
So you can see the list right there, you can
connect with them directly call them from there. You can
(09:50):
see their hours and their services.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Oh great, even every question appointment. That's amazing.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
That's great to see. Great to see a everybody working
together so much.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Yeah. In fact, every day, every day at option Line,
we are connecting. We were making about eleven to twelve
hundred connections every single day, which is a volume that
most pregnancy centers will never see. It gives us a
really one is. It gives us a very effective way
to connect people. We of course hope that the local
pregnancy help organizations that their marketing is going to draw
(10:24):
them in, but if it doesn't, then this is like
a like a net below that that will help catch
people who are looking for help if if they're able
to catch us. And of course we want to connect
them with that warm, friendly voice and face that's right
there in their own community, and we're going to do
that with a warm, friendly voice as well. So it's
a it's a privilege to know this team does amazing stuff.
(10:45):
We have one person who's on our team who's answered
more than a quarter million calls in her time. We've
had a total number of we've been, we've had it.
We count we have about five million connects that we've
made in the last since since option Line beg in
and we're just seeing that number grow every year.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Okay, So Option Line also has a phone number. I
think we can see it in the corner if we
go back. So one eight hundred seven one two four
three five seven looks like.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Yep, one eight hundred and seven to one to two
help and we'll.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Put that in the way we like the podcast notes.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
So yeah, the way we like to say it is
seven days a week, twelve months of the year, we're available.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
Awesome, Now, Gerald, do you you must have all sorts
of amazing stories. Can you share share one or two
that really really touched you?
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Well, there are many, and of course our work is
layered certainly with those that are our calling Option Line.
I have had the privilege I have never answered a
call it option Line. We reserve that for those that
are very especially trained. But I have had the chance
to meet some people and talk to some folks that
have been blessed by Option line to be able to
make that connection to a local pregnancy center or Maturney home,
(12:06):
to be able to know those stories. I get to
see it in their feedback. They come back and would say,
I am so grateful. They called in the middle of
the night. They didn't know anywhere else to turn, and
they were able to talk to someone who who came
equipped to share what we call the love approach, that
to listen and learn, to open the options, to walk it,
to giberally give them vision and values, and then to
(12:27):
an extend and empower. So I've i skipped to see
those comments all the time. Now at our abortion pill
Reversal dot Com, we've been able to answer calls as well.
Now some of those babies are now some of them
are young children. I've been able to actually meet with
them directly. I had one in my office who was
running around. We brought her in. She actually was right
(12:48):
here in Ohio. She was running around at one point
a very pretty dress and the next moment, as you
can imagine two year olds will do, the dress was
gone and she's running around in her diapers. Is like it.
It's just one of those things that you can't help
but smile. At just the excitement of life and what
that means. We've had some amazing stories at abortion pill reversal,
in particular, given how new it is for us. It's
(13:10):
something that's really only come about in the last roughly
ten years or so fifteen years, we're seeing some very
very interesting stories. We had a scenario where it was
actually a flight attendant called us and she had just
taken the first pill. As you know, abortion pill is
not one pill, but two, and before she was taking
(13:32):
that second pill, she had come to the realization as
so many do, that she didn't want to go through
with this, and so she found us connected with us
now our team. She said, I'm about to get I'm
at work, I'm about to get on a plane, and
I'm going to fly across the country. I think. Actually
she was flying from the West Coast when she landed
in Boston. As I understand the story, our team was
(13:55):
ready for her, was able to connect her with a
prescriber right there in that area to be able to
get the progesterone, which is what abortion pill reversal is,
and they able to start that path for her to
help save her own baby. After that, after having taken
that first pill of the chemical abortion regime, and so
those are the kind of stories that we enjoy. I've
(14:17):
also seen some very sad ones where we in fact,
I just learned this story just a couple of weeks ago.
Is a young young woman was telling us after the
fact that she had reached out to abortion pill reversal
a while ago, and she explained the story a little
more to us now than what she was able to
do then. But her boyfriend had actually slipped her the
(14:39):
pill unaware, and she was now in the midst of
abortion that she did not even ask for. She was
she was forced into that without her knowledge, and as
soon as she found out, she immediately sought some way
to some way to help, and no one would help
her locally, but we were able to help her. Once
she reached our network, we were able to help, and
(15:00):
she was calling in to report and the excitement of
her little six year old baby that was now getting
the first first year of school is like it was
just it was a very sad story about how we
came to meet her, but a tremendously powerful story of
her commitment and will to overcome that and connection with us,
(15:21):
and how great it was that we were able to
play a part in that so that that little life
could be rescued and she can enjoy the little son
that she has right now.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
You know, Jeral, I feel like in my work in
pro life here in New Hampshire, a lot of it,
a lot of this is like kind of theoretical. You know,
we're trying to help, we're trying to help mothers and
children through various avenues. But when I hear stories like that,
it's like sends child stewn my spine because it's like,
you can you actually you actually met the two year
(15:52):
old who's alive and she's walking around in your office
and that's right, and this other and this other mother
and her six year old. It's just it's just so inspiring.
I love to like, we need to tell these stories more.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
I think, well, I think I think that most of
us that are laboring in the pro life world, you know,
I don't think we'll ever know this side of heaven
the full impact of our work, but one day we will, uh,
And I think that the Lord will reveal to us
all the lives that we had a we had a
hand in, whether in part or in whole, doesn't matter.
It's it's you know, it's our part of just playing
(16:24):
our part that God has called us to. So I
very much appreciate folks like you, Jason and Cindy that
you're able to really uh advance the cause and places
that I don't want to go. I'm so grateful that
you're there battling with the legislatures and you know, getting
on the at that education environment that that's those are
critical things. You know, Our part in the pregnancy health
world is that we make sure that we are a
(16:45):
practical resource which is going to work in an abortion
state or is going to work in a life state,
because frankly, they're both necessary. Right now, you know that
there is no no state where abortions are not happening,
and that's why we we continually need to raise up
opportunities for her to have alternatives to abortion.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Yeah, it's it's becoming really important because not just going
to an abortion center to do the abortion, but doing
like with pills at home and so having this website
in this what was the can we go back to
the phone number for abortion pill Reversal dot com. So
(17:28):
it's eight seven seven five five eight zero three three three,
So calling that to get help in keep letting the
baby survive and well.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
And that's what's interesting is is we know that there's
a lot of pressure for people who are facing challenging circumstances.
You know, of course, the one that where she was
slipped the pill unaware is terrible, but there are others
that are facing very practical challenges with finances, with even housing,
with a variety of scenarios where if they're not directly
(18:06):
being coerced by someone else, they certainly are feeling the
pressure like they don't have anywhere else to turn. And
that's exactly what pregnancy help centers are there for that
they're exactly there to help them overcome that and overcome
those obstacles, help guide them to places where they can
either get resources right there, like an ultrasound to understand better,
or good classes, or even connecting them to financial resources
(18:30):
that we know are available on hand. But the abortion
pill Rescue Network is really there for those that have
made that decision and for whatever reason, they couldn't find
that path, took that pill, and then change their mind
immediately after. We have up to seventy two hours the
research shows us to intervene, and that's our option, but
most of our folks I think it's about seventy five
(18:51):
percent still that call us within the first twenty four
hours after taking that pill, and it's something that is necessary.
We know as abortion numbers are growing again, where what
do we back up over a million for our entire
country that that there are more and more people who
are who are taking that pill and immediately regretting it.
(19:11):
They need help, and so we're we're grateful for the
opportunity to be there. We wish more people knew about
knew about that. We have some battles some folks that
don't want don't want people to know about abortion pill reversal,
and that's that's been our adventure of late.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
You know, I guess that last thing you mentioned there's
some people that don't want it. I mean, I think
there's states like New Jersey and Massachusetts who have been
working against it, which is interesting because you know, the
thing when I hear in the legislature the other side
saying is that we should we can never get between
a pregnant woman and a doctor, and abortion pill reversal
is something a doctor or a medical prescriber prescribes exactly
(19:49):
somebody to a mother who's choosing life and and their
their efforts to get in between them. So I think
it's an interesting kind of contradiction in the their argument
very much.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Colorado made a move in early twenty twenty four to
ban to actually create legislature legislative ban on promoting and
providing abortion pill reversal, which is just progesterone by the way,
It's just a high dose of progesterone, something the woman
already produces in her body for her pregnancy, and they
(20:24):
banned it. Like that doesn't make sense to me, Like
you said, like, aren't they you know, I thought the
argument was about choice, Well shouldn't you allow the woman
the choice to continue her pregnancy? Like that seems to
make sense. And I don't understand why they would get
in the way of that, except it gets in the
way of an ideology and kind of some dynamics that
are to me are underlying all of this subject.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Well, I'm so glad that there are organizations like Heartbeat
that exist in order to help a woman who chooses life,
and you guys come to get behind her and support her.
So in terms of Heartbeat International, how is this yere
going and what are some of your challenges and successes.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Well, some of our successes are we were able to
We have reached a record high I mentioned earlier. We
have now nearly four thousand, it's actually three thousand, nine
hundred and a handful locations. Like that's a high water
mark for us forever. We've actually grown our affiliate locations
around the globe. It's actually like tripled since I began
(21:30):
with Heartbeat a number of years ago. And so we're
very excited for that. We saw, we saw something happen
that we really love and appreciate. There was a network
that we've been supporting for many many years that formalize
recently in the Balkans. Of all plays. You know, these
are places not like the US, which has many pregnancy centers.
These are countries in Eastern Europe, for particularly former Yugoslavian countries,
(21:53):
that only have one or two pregnancy help locations in
their entire country. So when they come together in a
kind of an official way and support one another, we
are very excited for that. We've been in supporting them,
working with them, traveling to be with them, bringing them
to our conferences for many years now, and excited for that.
We're going to see an Asian Pregnancy Help Leaders Summit
(22:17):
that we're hosting later this year. We're excited for that.
But the one big announcement, and it kind of already
alluded to it already, is that we've seen now we
calculate through the Abortion Pill Rescue Network. We now calculate
seven thousand lives saved from the work of Abortion Pill
Rescue Network. And that is an amazing thing that we
were very excited to get there. We're actually got to
(22:39):
it faster than last year, and we think it's growing
even faster now.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Wow. So does as a pregnancy center do they reach
out to you to be part of Heartbeat International? Or
does Heartbeat International go and start as a pregnancy center.
I'm curious how how does that work?
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Well, normally we're able to kind of come alongside those
who are feeling the call, who are kind of uh
sense the need in their communities, and we try to
step in and help them in that stage. Of course,
we welcome those that have already started and begun so
we can do either we can we can help them
as they're in that found founding environment in that early,
those early stages, or we welcome them to join wherever
(23:26):
they are. Sometimes we have to discover them. You know.
They they they started, they didn't know we were out there.
They weren't able to find us otherwise, So however we can.
Our goal is to UH is to advance and unify
the pregnancy help worldwide.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Cool.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
And then do they do they choose a name for
the pregnancy center or are there pregnancy centers called Heartbeat International?
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Well that's a good question. They're actually pregnancy centers called Heartbeat.
There's a handful of them. Some of them actually were
around when Hearty International was founded. But we weren't founded
as Heartbeat. We were founded as alternative to Abortion International.
And yet there there's a Heartbeat of Lima here in Ohio,
there's a Heartbeats of Licking County. Right nearby, there's a
(24:12):
Heartbeat of Miami. We had a hand in that one,
and that that seemed like a good name. It's not
a name that we require or even encourage, but we're
of course excited when they choose something that's familiar to us.
We think it's a great It's something something very critical
for us to convey is the importance of a heartbeat.
Speaker 4 (24:31):
So charl when you say a Heartbeat of Miami. I'm
assuming you're talking about the Miami, Ohio not the Miami Florida.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
No, actually, no, I'm talking about Florida. Yeah, thanks, thanks Jason. Yeah. No,
that was one that we did have a hand in
because there was a a there was an understanding we
had there was very little pregnancy help happening in South Florida.
I happened to come from South Florida originally and I
was at Heartbeat when this was As this was happening,
there was a calculation. I think there were twenty seven
(24:58):
abortion clinics in the Miami area and no no pregnancy
center with medical services, and so that became a call
and that became something that Heartbeat International invested in. Others
joined in that process, and we were able to see
a great team that was formed, uh that was kind
of synthesized and catalyzed by the work of Heartbeat International,
(25:20):
and now it's one of our one of the busiest groups.
They have five or five or six different locations across
the Miami Dade area. Great growing concern, great leadership there.
So that that's just an example like there have been.
There are many pregnancy centers that have seen that kind
of growth there, they become more effective over the years,
they've been able to grow in areas and certainly in
(25:42):
a metropolitan area like Miami is and the need there. Uh,
those are those things are critical to see happen.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
Well, it's so wonderful that, you know, just going back
to your comment on I think you said seven was
it seven.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Thousand, seven thousands, that that's a.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
I mean, that's that's hard to argue with. That's seven
thousand people who are here, who are walking around and
going in, you know, starting school maybe, and that would
not be here if it weren't for abortion pillar versal.
That's just I'm just so blown away by that.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
And those are the ones that those are the ones
that we calculate. I mean that there are there are
those that are we're unaware of. That could mean because again,
a wortion pillar reversal is not an exotic treatment. It's
just a high dosage of what a woman already makes
in her body. And so that that to me is
something that ought to be happening more because I think
that there are more and more women who are regretting
(26:36):
that and taking that chemical abortion and would if they
knew that we existed would be would be inclined to
call us and reverse that decision, oh, especially attempt.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
To as the I think the percentage is now something
like sixty seventy percent of abortions they believe are now
the pedal abortion pills.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
Yeah, that's actually as of twenty twenty three, it was
sixty four percent. We we've seen information and we think
that the numbers are actually closer to eighty percent right now. Uh.
And and that that you know, that doesn't fully that's
not fully accounted for by the illegal uh uh sources
that really can't be tracked anywhere. But the abortion industry
(27:17):
is itself is reporting of even a steeper use of
chemical abortion. And this is not this is not surprising
because you know, chemical abortion became a big thing in
Europe and and it's it's being it's used broadly and
widely there. That's where it was invented. And this is
of course we're seeing and now grow. And the abortion
(27:37):
industry is taking advantage of that. You know, they're there,
you see them closing locations and whatnot, and you know
they they kind of talk about it in terms of
some angst, but I think that they're quite comfortable with
closing physical locations because getting abortion uphills over the internet
is far more lucrative for an industry that is profiting
off of women in that way. And unfortunately it also
(27:59):
produced is well. As you saw the report that despite
what the FDA says that only what point zero five
percent of or point five percent of the women experience
some kind of adverse effects, the real life, real life
analysis shows that it's more like closer to eleven percent
(28:19):
of women. I mean, imagine that like one out of
ten more than one out of ten women are going
to suffer physical effects from that. That doesn't even take
into account the psychologies that we know exists, but that
others are not ready to admit.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Yeah, and then taking these pills maybe by themselves, and
then needing you know, emergency help at the hospital to
recover from the injuries from the abortion pill.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
I think, yeah, that what's really sad is that we
hear more and more stories about the abortion industry telling
the women that should they have to go to the
emergency room to lie and don't admit to the fact
that they've taken the abortion pill. Now, look, I I
in my history, I've learned that you can lie to
your lawyers. But you should never lie to your doctors, right.
(29:13):
The doctor needs to know everything so that they can
have they can provide the very best care. And it
seems to me just unconscionable that you would instruct a
woman to lie to a healthcare professional for what to
in order to protect the abortion industry and the and
the provider of the chemical abortion, not the care of
that woman. This is simply out of it's out of whack,
(29:35):
and it's something that should not be allowed and not
be allowed to continue.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
Yeah, and I think my understanding is that every single
state in the country does not criminalize a woman for abortion.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
So it may I wonder if they're under the.
Speaker 4 (29:49):
Under the idea that oh I could get prosecuted, but
that's not the case.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
I think in every state.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
It's not the case. No, and and and again that's
that just exposes the motivation of those that would that
would instruct people to do that, that they really are
about covering their own actions and not so much the
health of that woman.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
Well, Durell, how can our listeners learn more about Hearty
International and support the work that you do. What can
our listeners do to help?
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Thanks sim zinby I appreciate that one thing. Of course,
you can go to our website HARPBI International dot org.
But I really would want you to walk around with
the knowledge of option line dot org so that you
can find whoever's closest to you. And you know, one
of the things I always like to encourage is if
you find that local pregnancy help organization, I invite you
to do three things. You can pick one or all three.
(30:44):
Affirm them well. First, make yourself aware where are they?
Where can I know? Where can I direct people to
go in case they need help, because usually the one
of the one of the best ways that people learn
about pregnancy help locations is through word of mouth. So
if you're walking around to where you run into someone
that you suddenly realize, like, boy, they really need a
(31:05):
pregnancy help center, or they could use Materney Home or
however whatever need they present, those are the folks. So
just be aware, just be aware to find them. An
option line dot org can help with that. The second
thing I would encourage you would to be affirm them.
Maybe stop and visit, say hello, learn more about their programs,
what they have available right there in the community, so
(31:26):
that you can be walking around with that information. And
then the third of those is to advocate for them,
and that might include volunteering or supporting or donating or
just making sure that you're becoming a voice for them
as they want to make sure that others know about
the sources that are happening. So whether that's locally in
your own area, or option line or abortion pill reversal
(31:47):
dot com, any of those, just be aware, be an affirming,
and then advocate.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
All right, sounds good, Thank you guys. Yeah, and we
like to close our episodes with sharing life affirming Bible verses.
Do you have one that you like to share?
Speaker 3 (32:07):
Dr Row or Yeah, I so appreciate. I mean, I
know someone thirty nine speaks to this, but Jeremiah one
really talks about about the call of Jeremiah happening in
the womb, like God's intent of really showing himself powerful
even before we have taken our first breath is in
and of itself. Amazing that that's exactly. You know, we
(32:29):
really are a thought in in God's mind before we
ever exist, and we need to love and respect life
just in that way, our own and others.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
That's that's a good one. I just want to look
it up if.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
I can the Bible here, never leave home with that.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
One Jeremiah or chapter one.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
I think it's verse five, Yes.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
Okay, Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
before I formed you in the womb, I knew you,
and before you were born, I consecrated you. I appointed
you a prophet to the nations. So yeah, before before
Jeremiah was born, God consecrated him.
Speaker 4 (33:19):
Kind of reminds me of John the Baptist when they
were when he was in the they were Actually Jesus
was in Mary's womb and John the Baptist was in
his mother's womb, and like she was filled with the
Holy Spirit and prophesied and it was. It's just amazing
how even before birth he was filled with Holy Spirit,
just like it sounds like Jeremiah was called as well.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Yep, beautiful.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Well should I share one too, Okay?
Speaker 1 (33:46):
I chose this week from Colossian's Chapter one, verse is
thirteen to seventeen. The Father he has delivered us from
the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom
of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the
(34:08):
forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things
were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.
Whether thrones or dominions, or rulers or authorities, all things
were created through him and for him, And He is
before all things, and in him all things hold together.
(34:30):
So nice we know that in Christ, that in Christ
all things hold together.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
Reminds me of the song. Right, He's got the whole
world in his hands.
Speaker 5 (34:44):
Yeah, yeah, so well, I guess that's conclude our episode today.
And so thank you so much Durelle for sharing about
heartbeat International, option line dot org and Abortionpillreversal dot com.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
Great resources that we hope get spread widely.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
And thank you for the opportunity. I really enjoyed being
with you. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
Thanks, jar all. We really appreciate having you on. Stay
in touch. God bless you.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
Okay you bye, everyone, see you next week.
Speaker 6 (35:22):
Thank you for listening to the ever Living Podcast. If
you have scripture questions or things you'd like to share,
please feel free to email us at ever livingpod at
gmail dot com. Also make sure to follow us on
Instagram at ever dot living podcast. And if you like
this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share with
(35:42):
a friend and give us a five star review. See
you next week. May God bless you and be very
near to you, and may you be ever living
Welcome to ever Living, a podcast about valuing life here
on earth and for eternity. Every week on ever Living,
we create a space for sharing the stories and voices
of those who work in prey to create a culture
of life in New England and beyond. So welcome to
ever Living. Everybody Welcome, Jason.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Thank city. How is your week been great? It's been
a bit warm. I don't know if you.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Noticed, Yes, very hot, ninety degrees here in New Hampshire. Well,
what's who can withstand the surface of the sun. Maybe superman?
Speaker 2 (00:51):
I don't know. Maybe they even get recharged by the sun.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Well, that reminds me of our special guests today. Everybody
please welcome Jorell go see, the president of Heartbeat International.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Welcome, Darrell, Thanks, Cindy, appreciated very much. Good to be
with you, guys.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Thanks for being here today. Let's start with something fun.
Can you explain the origin of your name?
Speaker 3 (01:15):
Oh? Absolutely, I get this question all the time. I
think people are expecting am I from some foreign, far
away country and the answers, no, is this my you know,
grandma and Grandpa's name shoved together. No, it actually comes
as you hinted, it comes from Krypton. Jarrell is Superman's
father's name, and so it's been something I've carried since
(01:36):
I was obviously very little, didn't have anything to say
about at the time, but it was something my dad
was really hyped about. So it's something I've been able
to carry before cool and different names was really popular.
I got to do this every single first day of
school as I was growing up, to introduce a new
name with a hyphen and the capital E and all that.
(01:56):
So yeah, and in fact, we've carried that tradition along
with my own kids. So I have my oldest his
middle name is kaal El, which is Superman's name on Krypton.
My daughter is Kara or Kara, which is super Girl,
and then my youngest his name is Joel, but his
middle name is Kent. So we've had a lot of
(02:18):
fun with that.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (02:20):
So's it's in the whole family, that's right. Well. As Superman,
his job is to rescue people from danger. I think
your mission is to rescue mothers and children from danger
as well. Can you explain more about your role at
Heartbeat International?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yeah, I have the privilege of being the president here
of what is the largest network of pregnancy help locations
service locations both around the country and around the world.
We're now in one hundred and two countries with almost
four thousand locations. These are pregnancy centers, their pregnancy medical clinics,
(03:01):
their maternity homes. They are also some nonprofit adoption agencies
and a handful of other efforts that are all designed
to help women have alternatives to abortion, so that no
one feels like that's the only path that they can take,
but that there are those who are ready to step
into the gap and help help them rescue their own baby.
That's one of the values that we get to do.
(03:23):
We get to work with leaders and volunteers and staff
members who are doing this in many different capacities, different languages.
We have our own direct services efforts here. We operate
optionline dot org which was functioning twenty four to seven
three sixty five to help people connect with life firming help.
And then also a newer program for US is Abortion
(03:46):
Pill Rescue Network where we operate abortion pill Reversal dot
Com and also have another team that answers those types
of calls to help them connected with the potential to
reverse a chemical abortion that they no longer want.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
Okay, wow, let's take a look at those sites that
you shared. Let's start with option line dot org.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Yeah, let's pull it up. So option line was something
was It was a dream that we had of being
able to answer. In fact. In fact, if I go
back to the founding of Heartbeat International, which was way
back in the very early stages of abortion becoming an
issue in our nation, it was before Row. Actually in
(04:29):
nineteen seventy one, the founders of Heartbeater National talked about
having a what they called the Watts Line. We would
know it as an eight hundred number, and that vision
became a reality in two thousand and three when we
took our first call at option Line. We had a
group of folks that were based right here in Columbus,
Ohio that we're all together for. There would be a
(04:50):
team operating around the clock together. As technology improved, we
were able to begin to do that from a remote basis.
As we we needed to get Spanish speakers. You might
be surprised to you to know that they're not a
huge number of Spanish speakers here in Columbus, Ohio. So
we had to stretch into places like Texas and California
(05:12):
and all over to get Spanish speakers, and we're delighted
that over the last several years we've been able to
provide twenty four to seven Spanish speaking help as well.
So it's a labor of love. We have a great
team that does this. They do it. It's a paid staff,
so they're very accomplished, very professional in doing it. But
they're ready to talk to anyone who's facing an unplanned
(05:32):
pregnancy and connect them to the resource that's closest to them.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
That's awesome throughout.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
Can you talk about you know, the way that we
communicate in society has changed a lot. You know, back
when I was younger, all we had were phone calls, right,
we didn't have text messages and all that. How has
option Line evolved in order to accommodate like the younger generations.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Well, it's actually it's actually evolved quite a bit. We
of course opened it and started it as a call center,
meaning we were primarily taking phone calls. We also had
email at the time, of course that was readily available
to us, but we happen to be jumping in right
as SMS or text became a big thing, and then
soon chat was became an even bigger thing. And so
(06:19):
the truth is now is like our chat, our text
and email represent a decent volume. But it's been very
interesting we've seen actually talk about the younger generation. We're
seeing some signs that option line and even some research
that is unrelated to option line about how when people
are in crisis, they want to talk to someone. And
(06:41):
so our calls have actually expanded, like we've gone up
like fifty percent in the last five years phone calls,
like actual literal answers phone calls. Now we can still
do texts, have a great team that does all that
email and chat and mostly chat would be among those.
But any way that we can connect with them, any
way that we can help them find that help that's
(07:01):
closest to them, we're excited to be able to do that.
Speaker 1 (07:05):
Cool. So can we go back to that website option line.
Speaker 2 (07:09):
And take a look.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Yeah. The other thing about option line is that has
a locator for those that are already like for instance,
like this is the one resource that I would encourage
everybody to have walking around with them as option line
dot org, because yes, we have a team that's able
to answer those calls, able to answer those those chats
and texts and email, but there's also a locator where
if you want to know, like what life affirming resources
(07:32):
are nearby, you simply enter the locator. You can enter
a city, a zip code, you can enter some kind
of details and that will actually connect you. You can
see who we have on our list. It's the very
same list that our option line folks use when they're
trying to connect someone. Actually, we'll bring up the closest
ten the ten closest locations, no matter wherever you are,
(07:56):
and then that gives you an opportunity to connect directly.
Of course, during the day, that's that's probably the best
opportunity to be able to connect. But then during the
evening that's when our team is likely going to be
the one that they're going to talk to. Or overnight
and weekends, we're the ones that are going to be
available twenty four to seven. For those that are not,
we can also schedule appointments in local and some local ets.
(08:17):
She's about half of those that are an option line,
we can actually schedule appointments right into their books. So
we're trying to do everything we can to connect people
with the help that they're looking for that will affirm
life that will help them at no cost to them.
It's a great opportunity for us to serve across the
Northeast and around the around the country.
Speaker 2 (08:38):
That's amazing. There must be a lot of logistics that
go into that.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Yeah, yeah, I have a great team. Go ahead.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
Oh I just you said you have a great team.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Yeah, we have a great team. We have some folks
that have been been around for a long time, others
that are brand new to us. They go through extensive
training as they're learning to answer those calls that we
have a handful of nurses that are part of our
call as well, so that sometimes there are some medical
questions that they can answer, some medical education that they
can offer, particularly for those that are facing some particularly
(09:11):
challenging sent scenarios, we can we can step in with
a nurse and provide some more information.
Speaker 1 (09:18):
Okay, let's try this out. Let's choose a location. Can
we put a zip code?
Speaker 4 (09:22):
How about three oh five four that's Merrimack you I'm
sure three zero five four.
Speaker 3 (09:28):
Okay, there you go. You get a map and if
you if you scroll below that you'll see it. It'll
kind of it'll kind of stack up as far as
as far as who's closest to that zip code as
best as the software interprets what where you're talking about.
So you can see the list right there, you can
connect with them directly call them from there. You can
(09:50):
see their hours and their services.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Oh great, even every question appointment. That's amazing.
Speaker 4 (09:58):
That's great to see. Great to see a everybody working
together so much.
Speaker 3 (10:02):
Yeah. In fact, every day, every day at option Line,
we are connecting. We were making about eleven to twelve
hundred connections every single day, which is a volume that
most pregnancy centers will never see. It gives us a
really one is. It gives us a very effective way
to connect people. We of course hope that the local
pregnancy help organizations that their marketing is going to draw
(10:24):
them in, but if it doesn't, then this is like
a like a net below that that will help catch
people who are looking for help if if they're able
to catch us. And of course we want to connect
them with that warm, friendly voice and face that's right
there in their own community, and we're going to do
that with a warm, friendly voice as well. So it's
a it's a privilege to know this team does amazing stuff.
(10:45):
We have one person who's on our team who's answered
more than a quarter million calls in her time. We've
had a total number of we've been, we've had it.
We count we have about five million connects that we've
made in the last since since option Line beg in
and we're just seeing that number grow every year.
Speaker 1 (11:03):
Okay, So Option Line also has a phone number. I
think we can see it in the corner if we
go back. So one eight hundred seven one two four
three five seven looks like.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Yep, one eight hundred and seven to one to two
help and we'll.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
Put that in the way we like the podcast notes.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
So yeah, the way we like to say it is
seven days a week, twelve months of the year, we're available.
Speaker 4 (11:34):
Awesome, Now, Gerald, do you you must have all sorts
of amazing stories. Can you share share one or two
that really really touched you?
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Well, there are many, and of course our work is
layered certainly with those that are our calling Option Line.
I have had the privilege I have never answered a
call it option Line. We reserve that for those that
are very especially trained. But I have had the chance
to meet some people and talk to some folks that
have been blessed by Option line to be able to
make that connection to a local pregnancy center or Maturney home,
(12:06):
to be able to know those stories. I get to
see it in their feedback. They come back and would say,
I am so grateful. They called in the middle of
the night. They didn't know anywhere else to turn, and
they were able to talk to someone who who came
equipped to share what we call the love approach, that
to listen and learn, to open the options, to walk it,
to giberally give them vision and values, and then to
(12:27):
an extend and empower. So I've i skipped to see
those comments all the time. Now at our abortion pill
Reversal dot Com, we've been able to answer calls as well.
Now some of those babies are now some of them
are young children. I've been able to actually meet with
them directly. I had one in my office who was
running around. We brought her in. She actually was right
(12:48):
here in Ohio. She was running around at one point
a very pretty dress and the next moment, as you
can imagine two year olds will do, the dress was
gone and she's running around in her diapers. Is like it.
It's just one of those things that you can't help
but smile. At just the excitement of life and what
that means. We've had some amazing stories at abortion pill reversal,
in particular, given how new it is for us. It's
(13:10):
something that's really only come about in the last roughly
ten years or so fifteen years, we're seeing some very
very interesting stories. We had a scenario where it was
actually a flight attendant called us and she had just
taken the first pill. As you know, abortion pill is
not one pill, but two, and before she was taking
(13:32):
that second pill, she had come to the realization as
so many do, that she didn't want to go through
with this, and so she found us connected with us
now our team. She said, I'm about to get I'm
at work, I'm about to get on a plane, and
I'm going to fly across the country. I think. Actually
she was flying from the West Coast when she landed
in Boston. As I understand the story, our team was
(13:55):
ready for her, was able to connect her with a
prescriber right there in that area to be able to
get the progesterone, which is what abortion pill reversal is,
and they able to start that path for her to
help save her own baby. After that, after having taken
that first pill of the chemical abortion regime, and so
those are the kind of stories that we enjoy. I've
(14:17):
also seen some very sad ones where we in fact,
I just learned this story just a couple of weeks ago.
Is a young young woman was telling us after the
fact that she had reached out to abortion pill reversal
a while ago, and she explained the story a little
more to us now than what she was able to
do then. But her boyfriend had actually slipped her the
(14:39):
pill unaware, and she was now in the midst of
abortion that she did not even ask for. She was
she was forced into that without her knowledge, and as
soon as she found out, she immediately sought some way
to some way to help, and no one would help
her locally, but we were able to help her. Once
she reached our network, we were able to help, and
(15:00):
she was calling in to report and the excitement of
her little six year old baby that was now getting
the first first year of school is like it was
just it was a very sad story about how we
came to meet her, but a tremendously powerful story of
her commitment and will to overcome that and connection with us,
(15:21):
and how great it was that we were able to
play a part in that so that that little life
could be rescued and she can enjoy the little son
that she has right now.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
You know, Jeral, I feel like in my work in
pro life here in New Hampshire, a lot of it,
a lot of this is like kind of theoretical. You know,
we're trying to help, we're trying to help mothers and
children through various avenues. But when I hear stories like that,
it's like sends child stewn my spine because it's like,
you can you actually you actually met the two year
(15:52):
old who's alive and she's walking around in your office
and that's right, and this other and this other mother
and her six year old. It's just it's just so inspiring.
I love to like, we need to tell these stories more.
Speaker 3 (16:03):
I think, well, I think I think that most of
us that are laboring in the pro life world, you know,
I don't think we'll ever know this side of heaven
the full impact of our work, but one day we will, uh,
And I think that the Lord will reveal to us
all the lives that we had a we had a
hand in, whether in part or in whole, doesn't matter.
It's it's you know, it's our part of just playing
(16:24):
our part that God has called us to. So I
very much appreciate folks like you, Jason and Cindy that
you're able to really uh advance the cause and places
that I don't want to go. I'm so grateful that
you're there battling with the legislatures and you know, getting
on the at that education environment that that's those are
critical things. You know, Our part in the pregnancy health
world is that we make sure that we are a
(16:45):
practical resource which is going to work in an abortion
state or is going to work in a life state,
because frankly, they're both necessary. Right now, you know that
there is no no state where abortions are not happening,
and that's why we we continually need to raise up
opportunities for her to have alternatives to abortion.
Speaker 1 (17:05):
Yeah, it's it's becoming really important because not just going
to an abortion center to do the abortion, but doing
like with pills at home and so having this website
in this what was the can we go back to
the phone number for abortion pill Reversal dot com. So
(17:28):
it's eight seven seven five five eight zero three three three,
So calling that to get help in keep letting the
baby survive and well.
Speaker 3 (17:43):
And that's what's interesting is is we know that there's
a lot of pressure for people who are facing challenging circumstances.
You know, of course, the one that where she was
slipped the pill unaware is terrible, but there are others
that are facing very practical challenges with finances, with even housing,
with a variety of scenarios where if they're not directly
(18:06):
being coerced by someone else, they certainly are feeling the
pressure like they don't have anywhere else to turn. And
that's exactly what pregnancy help centers are there for that
they're exactly there to help them overcome that and overcome
those obstacles, help guide them to places where they can
either get resources right there, like an ultrasound to understand better,
or good classes, or even connecting them to financial resources
(18:30):
that we know are available on hand. But the abortion
pill Rescue Network is really there for those that have
made that decision and for whatever reason, they couldn't find
that path, took that pill, and then change their mind
immediately after. We have up to seventy two hours the
research shows us to intervene, and that's our option, but
most of our folks I think it's about seventy five
(18:51):
percent still that call us within the first twenty four
hours after taking that pill, and it's something that is necessary.
We know as abortion numbers are growing again, where what
do we back up over a million for our entire
country that that there are more and more people who
are who are taking that pill and immediately regretting it.
(19:11):
They need help, and so we're we're grateful for the
opportunity to be there. We wish more people knew about
knew about that. We have some battles some folks that
don't want don't want people to know about abortion pill reversal,
and that's that's been our adventure of late.
Speaker 4 (19:25):
You know, I guess that last thing you mentioned there's
some people that don't want it. I mean, I think
there's states like New Jersey and Massachusetts who have been
working against it, which is interesting because you know, the
thing when I hear in the legislature the other side
saying is that we should we can never get between
a pregnant woman and a doctor, and abortion pill reversal
is something a doctor or a medical prescriber prescribes exactly
(19:49):
somebody to a mother who's choosing life and and their
their efforts to get in between them. So I think
it's an interesting kind of contradiction in the their argument
very much.
Speaker 3 (20:02):
Colorado made a move in early twenty twenty four to
ban to actually create legislature legislative ban on promoting and
providing abortion pill reversal, which is just progesterone by the way,
It's just a high dose of progesterone, something the woman
already produces in her body for her pregnancy, and they
(20:24):
banned it. Like that doesn't make sense to me, Like
you said, like, aren't they you know, I thought the
argument was about choice, Well shouldn't you allow the woman
the choice to continue her pregnancy? Like that seems to
make sense. And I don't understand why they would get
in the way of that, except it gets in the
way of an ideology and kind of some dynamics that
are to me are underlying all of this subject.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Well, I'm so glad that there are organizations like Heartbeat
that exist in order to help a woman who chooses life,
and you guys come to get behind her and support her.
So in terms of Heartbeat International, how is this yere
going and what are some of your challenges and successes.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
Well, some of our successes are we were able to
We have reached a record high I mentioned earlier. We
have now nearly four thousand, it's actually three thousand, nine
hundred and a handful locations. Like that's a high water
mark for us forever. We've actually grown our affiliate locations
around the globe. It's actually like tripled since I began
(21:30):
with Heartbeat a number of years ago. And so we're
very excited for that. We saw, we saw something happen
that we really love and appreciate. There was a network
that we've been supporting for many many years that formalize
recently in the Balkans. Of all plays. You know, these
are places not like the US, which has many pregnancy centers.
These are countries in Eastern Europe, for particularly former Yugoslavian countries,
(21:53):
that only have one or two pregnancy help locations in
their entire country. So when they come together in a
kind of an official way and support one another, we
are very excited for that. We've been in supporting them,
working with them, traveling to be with them, bringing them
to our conferences for many years now, and excited for that.
We're going to see an Asian Pregnancy Help Leaders Summit
(22:17):
that we're hosting later this year. We're excited for that.
But the one big announcement, and it kind of already
alluded to it already, is that we've seen now we
calculate through the Abortion Pill Rescue Network. We now calculate
seven thousand lives saved from the work of Abortion Pill
Rescue Network. And that is an amazing thing that we
were very excited to get there. We're actually got to
(22:39):
it faster than last year, and we think it's growing
even faster now.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
Wow. So does as a pregnancy center do they reach
out to you to be part of Heartbeat International? Or
does Heartbeat International go and start as a pregnancy center.
I'm curious how how does that work?
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Well, normally we're able to kind of come alongside those
who are feeling the call, who are kind of uh
sense the need in their communities, and we try to
step in and help them in that stage. Of course,
we welcome those that have already started and begun so
we can do either we can we can help them
as they're in that found founding environment in that early,
those early stages, or we welcome them to join wherever
(23:26):
they are. Sometimes we have to discover them. You know.
They they they started, they didn't know we were out there.
They weren't able to find us otherwise, So however we can.
Our goal is to UH is to advance and unify
the pregnancy help worldwide.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Cool.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
And then do they do they choose a name for
the pregnancy center or are there pregnancy centers called Heartbeat International?
Speaker 3 (23:50):
Well that's a good question. They're actually pregnancy centers called Heartbeat.
There's a handful of them. Some of them actually were
around when Hearty International was founded. But we weren't founded
as Heartbeat. We were founded as alternative to Abortion International.
And yet there there's a Heartbeat of Lima here in Ohio,
there's a Heartbeats of Licking County. Right nearby, there's a
(24:12):
Heartbeat of Miami. We had a hand in that one,
and that that seemed like a good name. It's not
a name that we require or even encourage, but we're
of course excited when they choose something that's familiar to us.
We think it's a great It's something something very critical
for us to convey is the importance of a heartbeat.
Speaker 4 (24:31):
So charl when you say a Heartbeat of Miami. I'm
assuming you're talking about the Miami, Ohio not the Miami Florida.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
No, actually, no, I'm talking about Florida. Yeah, thanks, thanks Jason. Yeah. No,
that was one that we did have a hand in
because there was a a there was an understanding we
had there was very little pregnancy help happening in South Florida.
I happened to come from South Florida originally and I
was at Heartbeat when this was As this was happening,
there was a calculation. I think there were twenty seven
(24:58):
abortion clinics in the Miami area and no no pregnancy
center with medical services, and so that became a call
and that became something that Heartbeat International invested in. Others
joined in that process, and we were able to see
a great team that was formed, uh that was kind
of synthesized and catalyzed by the work of Heartbeat International,
(25:20):
and now it's one of our one of the busiest groups.
They have five or five or six different locations across
the Miami Dade area. Great growing concern, great leadership there.
So that that's just an example like there have been.
There are many pregnancy centers that have seen that kind
of growth there, they become more effective over the years,
they've been able to grow in areas and certainly in
(25:42):
a metropolitan area like Miami is and the need there. Uh,
those are those things are critical to see happen.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
Well, it's so wonderful that, you know, just going back
to your comment on I think you said seven was
it seven.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Thousand, seven thousands, that that's a.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
I mean, that's that's hard to argue with. That's seven
thousand people who are here, who are walking around and
going in, you know, starting school maybe, and that would
not be here if it weren't for abortion pillar versal.
That's just I'm just so blown away by that.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
And those are the ones that those are the ones
that we calculate. I mean that there are there are
those that are we're unaware of. That could mean because again,
a wortion pillar reversal is not an exotic treatment. It's
just a high dosage of what a woman already makes
in her body. And so that that to me is
something that ought to be happening more because I think
that there are more and more women who are regretting
(26:36):
that and taking that chemical abortion and would if they
knew that we existed would be would be inclined to
call us and reverse that decision, oh, especially attempt.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
To as the I think the percentage is now something
like sixty seventy percent of abortions they believe are now
the pedal abortion pills.
Speaker 3 (26:56):
Yeah, that's actually as of twenty twenty three, it was
sixty four percent. We we've seen information and we think
that the numbers are actually closer to eighty percent right now. Uh.
And and that that you know, that doesn't fully that's
not fully accounted for by the illegal uh uh sources
that really can't be tracked anywhere. But the abortion industry
(27:17):
is itself is reporting of even a steeper use of
chemical abortion. And this is not this is not surprising
because you know, chemical abortion became a big thing in
Europe and and it's it's being it's used broadly and
widely there. That's where it was invented. And this is
of course we're seeing and now grow. And the abortion
(27:37):
industry is taking advantage of that. You know, they're there,
you see them closing locations and whatnot, and you know
they they kind of talk about it in terms of
some angst, but I think that they're quite comfortable with
closing physical locations because getting abortion uphills over the internet
is far more lucrative for an industry that is profiting
off of women in that way. And unfortunately it also
(27:59):
produced is well. As you saw the report that despite
what the FDA says that only what point zero five
percent of or point five percent of the women experience
some kind of adverse effects, the real life, real life
analysis shows that it's more like closer to eleven percent
(28:19):
of women. I mean, imagine that like one out of
ten more than one out of ten women are going
to suffer physical effects from that. That doesn't even take
into account the psychologies that we know exists, but that
others are not ready to admit.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Yeah, and then taking these pills maybe by themselves, and
then needing you know, emergency help at the hospital to
recover from the injuries from the abortion pill.
Speaker 3 (28:52):
I think, yeah, that what's really sad is that we
hear more and more stories about the abortion industry telling
the women that should they have to go to the
emergency room to lie and don't admit to the fact
that they've taken the abortion pill. Now, look, I I
in my history, I've learned that you can lie to
your lawyers. But you should never lie to your doctors, right.
(29:13):
The doctor needs to know everything so that they can
have they can provide the very best care. And it
seems to me just unconscionable that you would instruct a
woman to lie to a healthcare professional for what to
in order to protect the abortion industry and the and
the provider of the chemical abortion, not the care of
that woman. This is simply out of it's out of whack,
(29:35):
and it's something that should not be allowed and not
be allowed to continue.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
Yeah, and I think my understanding is that every single
state in the country does not criminalize a woman for abortion.
Speaker 2 (29:45):
So it may I wonder if they're under the.
Speaker 4 (29:49):
Under the idea that oh I could get prosecuted, but
that's not the case.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
I think in every state.
Speaker 3 (29:55):
It's not the case. No, and and and again that's
that just exposes the motivation of those that would that
would instruct people to do that, that they really are
about covering their own actions and not so much the
health of that woman.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
Well, Durell, how can our listeners learn more about Hearty
International and support the work that you do. What can
our listeners do to help?
Speaker 3 (30:22):
Thanks sim zinby I appreciate that one thing. Of course,
you can go to our website HARPBI International dot org.
But I really would want you to walk around with
the knowledge of option line dot org so that you
can find whoever's closest to you. And you know, one
of the things I always like to encourage is if
you find that local pregnancy help organization, I invite you
to do three things. You can pick one or all three.
(30:44):
Affirm them well. First, make yourself aware where are they?
Where can I know? Where can I direct people to
go in case they need help, because usually the one
of the one of the best ways that people learn
about pregnancy help locations is through word of mouth. So
if you're walking around to where you run into someone
that you suddenly realize, like, boy, they really need a
(31:05):
pregnancy help center, or they could use Materney Home or
however whatever need they present, those are the folks. So
just be aware, just be aware to find them. An
option line dot org can help with that. The second
thing I would encourage you would to be affirm them.
Maybe stop and visit, say hello, learn more about their programs,
what they have available right there in the community, so
(31:26):
that you can be walking around with that information. And
then the third of those is to advocate for them,
and that might include volunteering or supporting or donating or
just making sure that you're becoming a voice for them
as they want to make sure that others know about
the sources that are happening. So whether that's locally in
your own area, or option line or abortion pill reversal
(31:47):
dot com, any of those, just be aware, be an affirming,
and then advocate.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
All right, sounds good, Thank you guys. Yeah, and we
like to close our episodes with sharing life affirming Bible verses.
Do you have one that you like to share?
Speaker 3 (32:07):
Dr Row or Yeah, I so appreciate. I mean, I
know someone thirty nine speaks to this, but Jeremiah one
really talks about about the call of Jeremiah happening in
the womb, like God's intent of really showing himself powerful
even before we have taken our first breath is in
and of itself. Amazing that that's exactly. You know, we
(32:29):
really are a thought in in God's mind before we
ever exist, and we need to love and respect life
just in that way, our own and others.
Speaker 1 (32:40):
That's that's a good one. I just want to look
it up if.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
I can the Bible here, never leave home with that.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
One Jeremiah or chapter one.
Speaker 3 (32:58):
I think it's verse five, Yes.
Speaker 1 (33:00):
Okay, Now the word of the Lord came to me saying,
before I formed you in the womb, I knew you,
and before you were born, I consecrated you. I appointed
you a prophet to the nations. So yeah, before before
Jeremiah was born, God consecrated him.
Speaker 4 (33:19):
Kind of reminds me of John the Baptist when they
were when he was in the they were Actually Jesus
was in Mary's womb and John the Baptist was in
his mother's womb, and like she was filled with the
Holy Spirit and prophesied and it was. It's just amazing
how even before birth he was filled with Holy Spirit,
just like it sounds like Jeremiah was called as well.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
Yep, beautiful.
Speaker 2 (33:42):
Well should I share one too, Okay?
Speaker 1 (33:46):
I chose this week from Colossian's Chapter one, verse is
thirteen to seventeen. The Father he has delivered us from
the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom
of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the
(34:08):
forgiveness of sins. He is the image of the invisible God,
the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things
were created in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible.
Whether thrones or dominions, or rulers or authorities, all things
were created through him and for him, And He is
before all things, and in him all things hold together.
(34:30):
So nice we know that in Christ, that in Christ
all things hold together.
Speaker 3 (34:40):
Reminds me of the song. Right, He's got the whole
world in his hands.
Speaker 5 (34:44):
Yeah, yeah, so well, I guess that's conclude our episode today.
And so thank you so much Durelle for sharing about
heartbeat International, option line dot org and Abortionpillreversal dot com.
Speaker 1 (35:02):
Great resources that we hope get spread widely.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
And thank you for the opportunity. I really enjoyed being
with you. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (35:12):
Thanks, jar all. We really appreciate having you on. Stay
in touch. God bless you.
Speaker 1 (35:17):
Okay you bye, everyone, see you next week.
Speaker 6 (35:22):
Thank you for listening to the ever Living Podcast. If
you have scripture questions or things you'd like to share,
please feel free to email us at ever livingpod at
gmail dot com. Also make sure to follow us on
Instagram at ever dot living podcast. And if you like
this podcast, please make sure to subscribe and share with
(35:42):
a friend and give us a five star review. See
you next week. May God bless you and be very
near to you, and may you be ever living
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Law & Order: Criminal Justice System - Season 1 & Season 2
Season Two Out Now! Law & Order: Criminal Justice System tells the real stories behind the landmark cases that have shaped how the most dangerous and influential criminals in America are prosecuted. In its second season, the series tackles the threat of terrorism in the United States. From the rise of extremist political groups in the 60s to domestic lone wolves in the modern day, we explore how organizations like the FBI and Joint Terrorism Take Force have evolved to fight back against a multitude of terrorist threats.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com