Pregnancy Support News – Nebraska organization shares life with students through Heart of a Child.

A pro-life prayer ministry has expanded to reach the hearts of young people and others in the community by educating youth and training pro-life organizations.

Heart of a Child Ministries, based in Nebraska, launched a certified education program last year that reaches beyond state borders.

“We received a large grant to develop our program into a certification program,” said Nikki Schaefer, founder and executive director of Heart of a Child Ministries.

After the program was successful locally, the grant funds helped Schaefer and her team complete the certification process and begin training for other pro-life organizations.

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The trademarked program is called 4S Education Model™. The 4 Ss are:

1. Science, with live ultrasound presentations.
2. The Bible uses verses to remind youth that God created them and that they are children of God.
3. Stories, personal testimonies about parenthood and/or adoption, or, if age appropriate, conversations from people who have experienced abortion.
4. Worship, encouraging the school or church group to collect diapers and other items for a local pregnancy support organization, or selling prayer pillows, the item that launched Heart of a Child Ministries nearly a decade ago.

Twenty speakers, men and women, are currently working with Schaefer and sharing their stories, including people who were told to abort their child because of disabilities but chose life instead, she said.

“We have a woman who was homeless and was in Planned Parenthood and was willing to have an abortion,” Schaefer said. “But she went out bravely.”

“She found a maternity home and chose her baby’s life,” Schaefer said. “It completely changed her life – she received so much love and support. Her son is now six and stands by her.”

Men on the speaking team are also crucial, she said.

“You are a witness to the importance of family,” Schaefer said. “They highlight the role of fathers and tell boys that their role is important.”

A speaker will also be a physician who is part of the Abortion Pill Rescue® Network (APRN). She shares the science behind chemical abortion and what happens with abortion pill reversal,” Schaefer said Pregnancy help news.

People who raise children with disabilities and a former abortion worker who is now a pro-life advocate are also program speakers.

Since its inception, Heart of a Child Ministries has reached more than 15,000 students from elementary through college age.

Tweet this: Since its inception, Heart of a Child Ministries has reached more than 15,000 students from elementary through college age.

The presentations take place primarily in private schools and with denominational youth groups as well as churches and parishes.

Senior, middle school and high school students take a survey before the program and again afterward.

“We have these defining elements that we orbit [on the form]“And then, after the presentation, the question is asked again,” Schaefer said. “More than 50 percent of those who considered themselves pro-abortion in some form before the presentation have changed their mind to be more or fully pro-life.”

The 4S Education Model™ is a “staircase” approach with presentations geared toward kindergarten and college-aged students. In addition to the lectures and ultrasound demonstrations, Schaefer and her team offer educational products that correlate with the age-appropriate presentation.

Thanks to the grant received, the certified program is now available to other pro-life groups outside of Nebraska.

“Through prayer we really saw the need to spread this work, this program across the country,” Schaefer said.

Two organizations have been certified in the last six months: Women’s Health Center of Alabama and Choose Life Idaho.

“We have a lot of other groups that we talk to,” she said. “We target pregnancy support organizations because they have sonographers on staff, have stories and can share those stories, and because they are the perfect ones to benefit from this service component.”

“Pregnancy support organizations are great for this,” Schaeffer said.

The Women’s Health Center conducted 10 presentations in one semester and said the experience was very successful, she said.

Choose Life Idaho, in collaboration with the Diocese of Boise, plans to host a family-friendly program in parishes, including a live ultrasound to celebrate a life event, she said.

Schaefer said prayer and the Holy Spirit have been catalysts for the program’s growth and success, including engaging people as speakers. For example, on the plane she met a woman who had previously had three abortions and was healed from these decisions. This woman is now part of the speaking team.

“God has really moved us forward in amazing ways,” Schaefer said.

Prayer pillows are still a big part of the service. She has also added other products including onesies and t-shirts.

Schaefer attended the Heartbeat International Conference in Salt Lake City last spring and gave an online presentation for the virtual conference. She has also participated in past events. She said meeting people at the Heartbeat conference provides an opportunity to connect with others in the world of pro-life and pregnancy support, which will help expand the 4S Education Model™ and reach more young people in the across the country, what affects hearts and changes minds.

“We want to continue to equip more [pro-life groups] throughout the county,” Schaefer said.

Information about giving a presentation at your church, the educational program, or being mentored by Heart of a Child Ministries as part of their certification program can be found HERE.