I experienced a refreshment of soul I " + "had never thought possible. I only wish I had not allowed so " + "many years to pass before reaching out for help.
"; break; // #2 case "Gentle": x.innerHTML=" " + "There was a gentle rain on the day " + "I met with Father for confession. When I left our meeting, " + "the softness of the rain on my face was like a caress...I was " + "clean again as on the day of my Baptism.
"; break; // #3 case "Anxiety": x.innerHTML=" " + "As I have allowed Jesus to heal me the most interesting thing " + "has happened--I no longer suffer from anxiety, fear and panic. " + "What I was seeking all that time was the forgiveness and love " + "of Jesus. He can and will forgive all.
"; break; // #4 case "Young": x.innerHTML=" " + "Many years ago I was young and in trouble. I went to Planned Parenthood for help. I needed someone to talk to. " + "They presented only one option. They told me the cost in dollars. " + "They never told me the true costs that I would pay over the years. " + "I have suffered in silence, ashamed of my dirty little secret, no one to talk to, not even my family or friends. " + "This cycle of pain, anguish and silence continued until I asked and received help from Project Rachel. " + "The volunteers at Project Rachel helped me to come to terms with my actions. They saved me by enabling the " + "the healing process to begin. They helped me to reconcile with God. " + "I hope that all troubled women are allowed the free choice to go to Project Rachel without condemnation. " + "I urge all who suffer because of their choices to seek (Project Rachel) and you shall be healed.
"; break; // #5 case "Feeling": x.innerHTML=" " + "Project Rachel gave me the ability to walk away from a life of despair and guilt and begin a new " + "life of hope and forgiveness.
A life-changing experience...I'll never be the same.
" + "For the first time, I was able to envision my child in the safe hands of Jesus.
" + "You will meet a team of individuals that will touch your heart.
" + "After my abortion, I was broken and desperate for help. I turned to Project Rachel. After the experience, I left feeling like a whole person again. " + "Forgiveness became a reality for me. A feeling I never imagined was possible.
"; break; // #6 case "FirstCom": x.innerHTML=" " + "My daughter was preparing to receive her " + "First Holy Communion. My heart was aching to join her. " + "I didn't believe it was possible for me to be forgiven--maybe God could be " + "merciful for one abortion, but five? " + "With fear and faint hope I called Project Rachel... " + "I joined my daughter in receiving the Eucharist on her First Holy Communion Day. " + "My joy and gratitude are inexpressible.
"; break; // #7 case "Third": x.innerHTML=" " + "Seventeen years ago, I was third party to my sister's " + "abortion. I carried this burden in silence for way too many " + "years. Then I told a friend of mine, who in turn told me about " + "Project Rachel. I think God was responsible for this " + "exchange, because why else out of nowhere did I choose to " + "disclose so many years later, and why to her? Now that I " + "have found Rachel, the answer is obvious:I prayed for forgiveness " + "and I found mercy. I prayed for mercy and I found love. I prayed for " + "love and I found peace. I prayed for peace and I found God. " + "Now I live reconciled, with hope, and with the freedom to pray for; to " + "and with my baby, Angel, for all unborn babies and their parents.
"; break; // #8 case "Forever": x.innerHTML=" " + "The tragedy of having an abortion doesn't end with the termination of the child's life. " + "The tragedy is forever a piece of me, of my life. It's even a piece of the life of the " + "others that were touched by my experience. I am forever detrimentally changed, forever pained, " + "forever longing for my child. There is an emptiness that cannot be filled in this lifetime.
"; break; // #9 case "Compart": x.innerHTML=" " + "For 27 years I was able to compartmentalize my abortion. I thought I " + "was doing a great job until my life came to a screeching stop with " + "debilitating panic attacks. I still couldn't make the connection until " + "my family physician suggested that I might have a post traumatic syndrome. " + "What could that be? My life had been great ...a successful career, good " + "marriage and family. What could this be??? It wasn't until I went into therapy " + "that I made the connection. I had never dealt with this trauma because to me it was " + "such a shameful thing so I buried it. Now it had finally caught up to me. I wish " + "I had had the help of Project Rachel years ago. It has saved the rest of my life.
"; break; // #10 case "Regret": x.innerHTML=" " + "I had an abortion 25 years ago, at a time in my life when " + "I felt the only person or thing I could rely on was myself. " + "I was afraid, could not see how I could possibly cope with a " + "child, felt I had no place to turn. Because I was so angry " + "so I saw only one way out...abortion. For 25 years I have suffered " + "the pain of regret, shame and guilt. I could not read the word in " + "the newspaper without crying so I avoided any mention of it as much " + "as possible. Eventually, I believed I had put it behind me. One " + "month ago I attended a Project Rachel retreat and for the first time, " + "realized I was not alone in my pain. That weekend we experienced the " + "healing power of God's forgiveness and love. The shame and guilt were " + "lifted, and as a result, I have come to appreciate what a freedom " + "it is to be free of that pain. I thank God, the Church and Project " + "Rachel for reaching out to the women like me.
"; break; // #11 case "Empty": x.innerHTML=" " + "" + "It is amazing how much sadness, emptiness, loneliness, sorrowfulness, anger " + "and worthlessness one feels after having an abortion. They (Planned Parenthood) don't tell you, " + "you will have to experience this too.
"; break; // #12 case "NothingElse": x.innerHTML=" " + "I am a 49 year old professional woman who had " + "experienced ongoing effects from my two abortions 25 years ago. " + "My pain was real. Project Rachel did for me what nothing else prior had been " + "able to do--it provided true healing and reconciliation for myself. There may " + "be women who do not experience negative effects following abortion and for those " + "women, the need for services does not exist. But do abortion providers really " + "want to determine for me what my needs are, or are not? Do pro-choice advocates, " + "who proclaim a woman's right to choose, really want to interfere with a woman's " + "choice of seeking post-abortion healing services? Yes, it is important that women " + "have access to accurate information about abortion, including the information that " + "abortion has harmed me, and so many other women like me. Why are pro-choice advocates " + "intent on restricting women's access to this information?
"; break; // #13 case "Pro-Choice": x.innerHTML=" " + "Since my abortion nearly 20 years ago, I had always been pro-choice and a " + "supporter of Planned Parenthood. Yet, as I started having my children, the reality " + "of my abortion set in and began to shape my life in every way, particularly in my ability to fully love as a mother. " + "Project Rachel helped me to grieve a lost child. And when it's a lost child by a mother's " + "own choice, the pain afterward can be unbearable. It's a lie to think there aren't some women " + "who will mourn their child and their choice.
"; break; // #14 case "Culture": x.innerHTML=" " + "The culture told me for years that there was something wrong with me " + "for having been affected by abortion.Thank God for Project Rachel, which honored my truth.
"; break; // #15 case "NotADay": x.innerHTML=" " + "Not a day goes by that I don't think of my baby. " + "The deep sense of loss and sadness is tremendous it has affected every relationship in my life " + "For 19 years I have been carrying this invisible scar and only recently realized to what depth it extended. " + "I have felt undeserving of any happiness because of what I did so many years ago.
"; break; // #16 case "Beautiful": x.innerHTML=" " + "I am grateful to Project Rachel for helping me through a very painful " + "time in my life. When I arrived at one of the Project Rachel weekend retreats, I felt so depressed and " + "remorseful at having two past abortions. There I was warmly greeted by the wonderful women who run Project Rachel. " + "It was in this beautiful sanctuary that I found the love, compassion, and forgiveness from a most merciful God and I know it was " + "His grace that brought me there. This experience will stay with me forever. I’m at peace now because I " + "know my two children are with God and I thank God for Project Rachel.
"; break; // #17 case "Retreat": x.innerHTML=" " + "I’m not sure how to say thank you. I don’t think I can ever express how much that one-day retreat " + "meant to me. I am certainly not the same person who was so afraid to walk through those doors, " + "and I don’t ever want to see her again. I was finally able to begin to feel whole. " + "I was finally able to begin to feel whole. The sacrament of Reconciliation " + "was such a freeing moment for me. Just as much as I remember almost every detail of that horrible day " + "fourteen years ago, I remember those forgiving words that I was absolved of all my sins. I " + " keep replaying that phrase in my mind, and it almost brings me to tears. But they’re finally " + " cleansing, healing tears instead of tears of extreme sorrow. I am able to see God in my life, " + "and it makes me smile. I feel worthy to be among God’s people, and to be the best mother to " + "my three children. Hopefully, they’ll never know or feel the pain that I suffered with for so " + "long. And while I still have a long way to go, I feel like I finally have taken those first steps. " + "Thank you again so much, and God bless you all.
"; break; // #18 case "Nervous": x.innerHTML=" " + "To everyone involved in Project Rachel,
" +
"I attended the one day retreat “Come to the Waters” in February. I was nervous but trusted " +
"that God was by my side. I want to say thank you to everyone involved (including the cook – the soup was excellent!). " +
"The setting was peaceful, the women and priests were loving, caring and non-judgmental – a real comfort for me. " +
" All the women who shared their stories, tears and pain were courageous. As I listened, " +
"I realized I was not alone. So many other women had carried the pain, guilt and shame around for many years (30 for myself). " +
"Reconciliation was key! It was a freeing experience knowing that God truly has forgiven me, and it’s time for me to forgive myself. " +
"I’m so grateful that Project Rachel exists. My experience that day has helped to clear away my past sins" +
"so I can be the person God wants me to be and continue of my spiritual journal."
"God bless you all
Over the past week I have pondered on my experience with Project Rachel last " + "Saturday. I didn't know what to expect. I came away with many beautiful gifts to store in my heart. " + "I realize how blessed each women in their own particular way was who was a part of this. The blessings " + "were offered so graciously and with such genuine kindness by every staff. So much thought and " + "love seemed to be poured in to every moment. It is hard for me to fathom it at times. Is there some " + "way I can return this gift? If there is please let me know. You all are truly doing the Lord Jesus Christ's work " + "and it is so enriching for me to have been the recipient. Thank you and God bless all of you.
"; break; // #20 case "Holidays": x.innerHTML=" " + "This is the very first Christmas since 1973 that a deep pain inside of me, an emotional pain," + "has disappeared. I also realize that it didn’t actually “disappear”. God took it away from me. " + "Without Project Rachel, your care and your love, I could never have let God in to forgive me. " + "Last year, the retreat was pretty new to me, so I really didn’t feel the way I do this Christmas." + "This is how Project Rachel has been working on me, in the “long term” effect. It truly is God’s love healing me and it is beautiful.
" ; break; // #21 case "Weight": x.innerHTML=" " + "I just wanted to say thank you to every one who was at the retreat. " + "It was the most wonderful experience and I am very grateful. All of you are very compassionate caring women. " + "I feel like the biggest weight has been lifted off my soul.The testimonials of everyone made me not feel so alone anymore.
" ; break; // #22 case "NoPerson": x.innerHTML=" " + "With the exception of the birth of my son, there is not one other day in my life that has brought me such joy than this past Saturday's retreat. Meeting " + "the team and the other great women that were present was inspiring. " + "I must not leave out Fr. [name omitted] who is a delightful and kind " + "man. I will admit at times I did feel that my troubles were less than " + "some, but realized that we were all in the same place to talk, share, " + "not cast judgment and seeking redemption and relief. To say words out " + "loud that I had never said to anyone person let alone a group was " + "cleansing in itself. Then to learn that I had been forgiven was a " + "warm towel after the bath. The smile that is on my face is real , and I am having a hard time turning off " + "the smile, so I will just go with it. I know that I asked if yesterday's Mass counted for today, " + "but I went to Mass today and I felt I should be there and at peace. I can never thank all of you, every " + " single person that I shared Saturday with, enough for my new found freedom. I can only thank you by stating my desire " + "to help you help others. No person should have to face 36 years or 1 day of fear of being disowned by God and " + "everyone for a moment that happened for whatever the reason. My love and best wished to all. Please keep up this " + "wonderful work.
"; break; default: x.innerHTML=" " + "default
"; break; } }